The Turmoil of Gene Hunt
by Lesa Bollyknecks
Summary: Follow up to "A Different Man" After a car accident, which devestaes his family, will Gene and Alex be able to cope with the repoucutions that follow? A rollercoaster story of love for Galex - PLEASE NOTE - NOW COMPLETE!.
1. Chapter 1

_**My Family**_

This story is the sequel to "A different man" which I would recommend reading before this, as it is intended to be the follow up from that story.

**Disclaimer - I do not own Ashes to Ashes, Gene Hunt or Alex, they are creations of Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh, for Kudos and the BBC.**

Chapter 1 - A school day

It was the 12th September 1992; Leah had been at school now for just over a week and loved every minute of it. She would come home from school every day with stories of what she had done that day, new words she could spell, and stories of games she had played at break time.

Gene and Ale's other daughter Olivia was 3years old and was amazed at her sister's stories.

The two sisters were best friends, they would spend loads of time together each night playing dolls with each other and at the weekends they would play dress up games for hours and hours.

Leah still had her father's eyes but they were more inquisitive, she had curly brown hair like her mothers, but her own unique personality, she was always happy, never grumbled and was a daddy's girl. Like she had been since the day she was born.

Olivia too had her father's eyes, but she also had his dirty blonde hair colour, her personality was more like her fathers. Stubborn. She would have her strops, but after a short period would say "Sorry mummy," and go back to playing happily with her sister.

They were still staying in the three bed roomed flat that they had moved into after the incident when Leah was a baby., because they could be a family where ever they were, just as long as they were together

"You ready yet Leah?" Alex called that morning from the kitchen.

Running into the kitchen wearing her school uniform she came to a sliding halt in front of her father.

"What have I told ye about running in the house Leah?" he said in a stern voice.

"Sorry daddy" Leah replied in a little timid voice.

"Daddy!" Olivia ran into the kitchen still wearing her Barbie pyjamas, slid and fell.

"Aggghhh!" Olivia cried, tears falling from her light blue eyes.

"That's what you get for running!" Gene soothed picking up his youngest daughter tickling her.

"Hehehe!" Olivia giggled, her tears forgotten already.

"Let's go and get you ready for nursery!" Gene said taking Olivia to her bedroom.

Leah's inquisitive eyes watched them, and with a glint of sadness in her big blue eyes turned to her mother.

"Mummy?" Leah asked in a whisper.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" Alex asked pulling her daughter onto her lap.

"Does daddy love Olivia more than he loves me?" she asked in a whisper, so quiet that Alex had initially thought she had miss-heard.

"Oh of course he doesn't darling" hugging her tightly, "he loves you both the same" kissing Leah's forehead.

"But he shouted at me for running and didn't shout at Olivia!" Leah whispered, afraid her father might hear.

"Daddy's working really hard just now, and you know he works very hard with lots of hours" Alex soothed

Just then Olivia came back into the kitchen holding Gene's hand; she was wearing Pink dungarees shorts with a white t-shirt underneath them.

"I picked them myself mummy!" Olivia declared proudly trying to climb onto Alex's lap as well.

"Not just now sweetheart, I need to talk to daddy in the living room!" Gene giving her a look that clearly said, "What have I done now?"

Closing the door behind her, she turned to confront him with what Leah had just asked her.

"You know what Leah has just asked me Gene?" Alex said softly,

"What? Gene asked bewildered.

"She has just asked me if her daddy loves Olivia more than her."

"What?" Gene replied, " That's daft I love her just as much as Olivia, probably more, I mean she was my first child, and after what happened when she was a baby…" He trailed his last words not even thinking of what that man could have done to his beautiful baby daughter if they hadn't got there in time…

He noticed that there was a single tear rolling down Alex's cheek, which he brushed away before pulling him close to him, holding her In a tight hug and whispered,

"Its o.k. Alex he can't hurt us any more."

"I know he can't... but what if he gets released?" She whispered back.

I'll just make sure he doesn't? Wont I?" He smiled.

"Girls, time to go!" Alex shouted, "We're going to be late!"

Five minutes later Gene was sitting in his Quattro watching Alex pull away in her Ford Thunder bird, his little girls sitting in the back talking away to each other, Smiling he thought proudly, "My Family"

"I'll see you at the station!" Alex called from her open window.

"Don't be late!" Gene shouted back as her car turned right down the street, as he turned the other way to head to the station.

Ten minutes later Alex was waving good-bye to Olivia as she ran into nursery, straight to the sandpit.

Laughing to herself she returned to the car where a patient Leah was waiting on her.

"What do you think of going out for dinner tonight?" she asked her daughter looking at her in the rear view mirror. "We'll go to Luigi's?"

"Yeah Uncle Luigi's! Leah cried in approval.

Alex continued on through a green light at a cross roads, Leah's school was just 5minutes away. "We're going to be…"

Alex didn't see the white transit van jump the red light to her right before it was too late.

_Thanks for reading the first chapter, all reviews and criticism is welcomed, let me know what you think. _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2 - 9.06**_

_**O.k. I've titled this chapter 9.06, as those of you who have read "A different man" will know that it's sometime after Alex died, but I thought it would be a good idea to bring the time she died into my story somehow.**_

_**This chapter will jump a bit from one person to another, so hope you enjoy and aren't too confused by it. It is clearly marked though when it jumps.**_

_**Please review and let me know what you think! xx**_

Gene had arrived at the station, still thinking about what Alex had told him, the words going around and around in his head like a never ending roundabout that would never stop.

"Leah thinks you love Olivia more than you love her!"

It wouldn't stop, it was torture, he couldn't get the words out his head.

Sitting in his office, staring out the window at the sky, which was awash with a grey colour, like a painting in a gallery, the raindrops chased each other down the glass window, until they reached the window ledge where the race stopped.

"Leah thinks you love Olivia more than her" he couldn't stop thinking about this,

"My little girl thinks I don't love her"

Then it daunt on him, washing over him like the rain rolling down the window.

"I don't play with her any more!"

He suddenly realised the time, it was 9.26am and his missus still hadn't came into his office to let him know that the girls had got to nursery and school o.k.

Exiting hi office she saw Alex's empty desk,

"Hasn't D.I Hunt came in yet?" he asked Fiona who was sat at her desk, who replied with a,

"No Guv, sorry"

"She should have been here twenty minutes ago, she's probably bloody talking! Why is it that woman like talking WPC Kennedy?" He asked Fiona,

"We enjoy it Guv" she replied not even bothering to look up from her desk.

Returning to his office and his thoughts he thought,

"Bloody woman and their bloody talking." Before returning his thoughts to the window.

_**Twenty minutes earlier…**_

Alex opened her eyes to hear someone shouting.

"Mummy!" Leah was screaming, "Mummy!"

As she sat up from where her head had hit the steering wheel she could feel a warm liquid rolling down the right side of her face.

"Wh-What happened?" She asked before coming to her senses.

"Leah!" She screamed turning round to see hr terrified looking daughter hysterical in tears.

"Mummy you're bleeding!" Leah cried pointing at Alex's head,

"Mummy's o.k. darling. Are you o.k.?" Alex asked her daughter taking her seat belt off the pain tearing through her as she did, the pain was like some one had just rammed a knife into her stomach., she groaned in pain as she tried to move, realising that she was wedged close to the steering wheel so close that it was beginning to get difficult for her to breath.

"Why didn't that man stop?" Leah asked pointing to the van that was now wedged into the side of the car, so that the driver's door was crushing Alex's legs.

"Oh I don't know sweetheart" Alex groaned as the pain in her stomach got worse, and her breathing began to feel heavy.

There was sirens around them by now, fire fighters and paramedics evaluating how badly injured the people in her car were.

"I'm fine!" Alex Insisted the pain in her stomach making her wince with pin,

"Please just get my daughter out!" She begged.

"Ma'am" the fire-fighter began to speak, "You appear to have major injuries…"

"Just get her out first" Alex demanded again.

"O.k. but you need to calm down Ma'am" one of the paramedics said calmly.

As Leah had been seated behind the passenger's seat, getting her out wasn't the problem. Getting Alex out of the mangled car would be the challenge.

Leah was crying for someone to help her Mummy as the fire-fighters began using cutting equipment to gain access to Alex.

"Can you tell me your name?" The paramedic asked as he gained access to Alex, but she hadn't heard him.

She closed her eyes just for a second, the darkness surrounded her, it was peaceful, no noise just silence, as the blackness fell across her. Nothing else but darkness.

The phone on Gene's desk rang into life starling him from his one thought.

"Yer?" he huffed down the receiver,

"Uhhuh… Yes… We won't be long." He hang the receiver up and grabbed his long coat from the back of his chair, exiting his office expecting to see Alex there, to assist him on this call, but her desk was empty.

"D.S Jack Adams. You're wi me since my missus has decided to be late!"

"Where we going Guv?" Jack asked putting his jacket on and following his D.C.I out of the office.

"There's been an accident close too Fenchurch East Primary School, some drunk, junkie bastard ran a red light smashing into a mother driving her child t' school" Gene said his anger obvious.

"BASTARD!" Jack agreed getting into the car.

"That's not the best part- the bastards only got cuts and bruises!" Gene raged.

"What about the mother and child?" Jack asked.

"The child's o.k., but they never mentioned how the mother was" Gene said grimly.

"Doesn't sound good Guv!" Jack added

"It may lead to a murder enquiry" Gene said to his D.S.

"Would we get him on a murder rap Guv?" Jack wondered,

"If he got behind the wheel drugged up and pissed then YES Jack I WILL get him done wi murder!" Gene raged pulling the Quattro to a stop a few hundred yards from the crash scene.

Getting out of the car he heard a little voice shout, "Daddy"

"Surly it can't be?" he thought, but when he saw his daughter Leah come running to him it all came crashing down to earth.

"LEAH!" Gene shouted running at full speed towards her, scooping her into his arms.

"That van hit our car daddy" Leah pointed at the van which was now further back from the wrecked car, which was surrounded with fire-fighters and paramedics.

"Jack take her" Gene passed Leah to Jack and made a beeline for the car.

"Sir you need to stay back!" A fireman pulled Gene back,

"Fuck off!" he wrestled, "That's my wife in there"

"In that case sir, I really do insist you stay here" The fire man was struggling to hold him back,

"I Said FYUCK OFF!" Gene yelled pushing the fireman to the ground, reaching the car to her a paramedic say,

"It doesn't look good her blood pressures only 90/60, technically she should be dead"

"We need to get her out NOW!" another shouted.

"You-You need to help her" Gene spluttered looking absolutely petrified at the thought he might loose her.

"We're doing everything we can!" The fireman who Gene had pushed to the ground said from behind him.

"Where is the BASTARD?" Gene suddenly exploded looking all around him, "I'm going to fuckin kill him!"

"He's been taken to hospital!" the fireman replied,

"WHAT?" He yelled, "Whilst my Alex lies here dying?" he shouted, "Whilst her (pointing at Leah) mother fights for her life?"

"She's out!" a paramedic shouted as Alex was placed onto a stretcher.

Gene raced to her side, and what her saw made even him: Gene Hunt gasp.

Alex had a gapping head injury the blood illuminated the paleness of her face, her eyes closed, her arms lay limply at her sides, her dark blue top looked black in places where the blood from her side seeped onto the material.

This wasn't the same woman he had waved good-bye to merely an hour ago. This Alex lay motionless, the Alex Gene knew and loved was full of life, her eyes sparkles all day everyday.

"Alex!" Gene cried grabbing her left hand, the warmth of her gold wedding band, the coldness of her hands against his made him shiver.

"Your daughter will have to be taken into hospital for a check over" A paramedic said softly to a panic stricken Gene.

"She doesn't have to go in the ambulance?" he asked, "I don't want her t' see her mum like this!" he kissed the back of Alex's hand.

"A long as you follow us then" the paramedic said,

"Fine" Gene agreed racing back to Jack who was standing by the Quattro, shielding Leah from what was going on.

"Need to take Leah to the hospital" he said rushing.

"I need you go to back to the station Jack, and get Fiona to go and get Olivia from nursery."

"Of course Guv" Jack replied sensitively.

"Where's my bloody keys?" he fumbled.

"Daddy?" Leah's big blue eyes were brimming with tears, "Is Mummy going to be o.k.?"

Kneeling down beside her and pulling her in to a tight hug he replied uncertainly, "Of course she is"

"But her head was bleeding Daddy."

"The doctors at the hospital are going to try and fix her" Gene replied fastening her seatbelt and doing up his own.

"Will she wake up?" Leah asked so quietly, that Gene could hardly hear her.

He decided to leave this question unanswered given the circumstances, as even he eas unsure if he would ever see those huge hazel brown eyes of hers sparkling in the light again.

_**Thanks so much for reading, I would love it if you could review and give me some feedback as it makes my day reading reviews. Thanks! xx**_


	3. Don't You Dare

_**Chapter 3 - "Don**__**'**__**t you dare"**_

Arriving at the hospital Gene left Leah with a nurse and went to check on Alex. He wasn't prepared for what met him upon entering the room.

Alex had tube down her throat; hooked up to ventilator to help her breathe, she was being given drugs in one arm and blood in the other.

Even in 1982 when he had accidentally shot her she wasn't hooked up to as many machines keeping her alive as she was at this minute.

"You can talk to her" the doctor prompted.

"Is she going to be o.k.?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"It's still too early to tell" the doctor replied sympathetically.

"Get Mr. Hunt a chair please!" the doctor said to the nurse standing next to Alex's bed.

She returned a few moments later with a hard plastic chair which she sat at Alex's left hand side.

Gene sat, as he felt as though his legs were about to give way to his weight. He promptly took her hand and held it tightly as though as it was a matter of life and death.

"We'll leave you alone with her" the doctor said as he and the nurse left through the door to Genes left, leaving him alone in the room with Alex. His Alex.

"Don't you go giving up in there" he spoke softly to her his voice breaking every so often with raw emotion.

"How the bloody hell will I ever cope without you Alex?" His voice broke again

"What will our gorgeous girls do without their mum?" He was really struggling now to get the words out that he needed to say.

"I nearly lost ye before, through my own bastard fault, SHIT, sorry. I don't want t' loose you Alex! Ye hear me, I can't loose you, I love you… I need you…"

Just as Gene said those last words…

On his return to the station Jack had the job to do of breaking the news to the rest of C.I.D.

"Oh my God" Fiona was hysterical, "Is she o.k.?"

"To be honest it didn't' look good from where I was standing" Jack replied solemnly.

"The car was wrecked, a writ-off for sure, and the Guv was in some state" Jack continued.

"He would be!" Fiona replied putting her Jacket on over her uniform, "He really does love her ye know! I'll go down to the hospital once I've collected Olivia and take the two of them back to my house, I don't think the Guv's going to be able to look after them tonight, not in his state!" She finished then left the office.

The rest of C.I.D could only wait, wait to hear of news on their D.I's condition and hope that she would pull through.

They daren't let themselves think of the alternative.

The machines around Alex were beeping madly, Gene yelled for help and within seconds there was a team of three doctors and three nurses were around her, knocking Gene out of the ay.

Gene couldn't't see what was going on, but his instincts told him that it wasn't good.

One of the machines was beeping in an odd sense he thought, it was a steady beep, no alternative tones, just a steady beep.

"CLEAR!" on of the doctors shouted, but the beep never changed its tone. The same doctor shouted, "CLEAR" again, and this time the beep had a different tone to it, it had an alternative.

Gene didn't' have a clue what was going on and he demanded to be told, in the only way he knew how, he threatened.

"You'd better had tell me what the bloody hells going on, or I swear to god!" He shouted above the bustle of the doctors and nurses.

The doctor who had spoken to Gene earlier had just been handed a piece of paper, at which he frowned.

"Mr. Hunt I think we should talk outside" he said softly.

"I ain't going anywhere!" Gene stood his ground.

"O.k. then but you'd better take a seat."

Gene sat down afraid of what this man in the white coat was about to tell him.

"Were you aware Mr. Hunt that your wife is Pregnant?" the doctor asked a wide eyed Gene.

"N-No" He replied

"Well she is, but it's causing her some problems right now, and I'm surprised she didn't't know she was pregnant."

"What's the problem?" Gene asked.

"We have discovered that your wife has some internal bleeding which we need to stop as soon as possible."

"You'd had better fix it then doc!" Gene demanded.

"I'm afraid it's not as simple as that Mr. Hunt, if we do surgery there is a more likely chance that your wife will loose the baby." the doctor explained.

"You mean?" Gene put his head in his hands, with the decision he knew he had to make. He had to make the decision to risk surgery and risk loosing his unborn child, or not allow surgery and loose Alex. "What do I do doctor?" He asked his head in the palms of his hands,

"If I were you Mr. Hunt I would consent to the surgery, as we don't have much time"

"O.k." He replied, "What does the surgery involve?"

_**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, your reviews help me improve my writing and hopefully let you get a better reading experience as well.**_

_**There may be a delay in uploading the next chapters as I'm working the rest of the week, hopefully will get next chapter up on Friday when I get my new laptop. Ciao for now. xx**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4 **_

_Thanks to those who have reviewed this story so far, I apologise for not replying individually as I've been busy with work and writing more chapters. You all know who you are!_

"The surgery will more than likely involve a Laparotomy" the doctor explained to Gene, "This will allow us to make a diagnosis as well as repair any damage an stop any bleeding internally."

"How do you do that?" Gene asked sounding confused.

"Well, we will start by making an incision ain the abdomen; the muscles of the abdomen are then separated by a special tool. The layer of tissue around the organs is separated as well."

Gene, nodding to show he understood.

"Blood vessels that have been cut are tied off, with any damage or bleeding repaired, and if this shows any other organs that have been damaged, we will then perform other operations."

"Like what?" Gene asked, wanting all his questions answered.

"We suspect that your wife may have had a Placental Abruption, causing her internal bleeding."

Gene just nodded, his eyes fixed on this doctor, who had just delivered this news.

"We need you to consent to the surgery Mr. Hunt" the doctor said soothingly,

"What's the risks?" Gene asked staring at the consent form.

"The main risk with this type of surgery is excessive bleeding and possibly blood clots." the doctor answered back.

With a swift swirl of the pen Gene signed the consent form, tears welling up in his blue eyes, blinking to try and stop them from falling onto the piece of paper in front of him, but with no prevail.

"We'll do our best Mr. Hunt" the doctor said before rushing off. The porter pushed a silent Alex past Gene, where he whispered, kissing her hand,

"Don't stop fighting Alex. I love you."

He watched as her bed was pushed down the long corridor and out of sight around the corner before he let his legs give way, causing him to fall to the floor. And he began to cry. Cry like he hadn't done since he was a child.

Fiona had picked Olivia up from nursery telling her that her mummy wasn't well and that they had to go to the hospital to get Leah.

Arriving at the hospital Fiona inquired at reception, and found Leah in a cubicle with a nurse.

On seeing her sister, Leah jumped down from the bed saying,

"Hi Olivia, hi Auntie Fiona, are you here to take me home while the doctors make mummy better?"

"Where is mummy and daddy?" Olivia asked her blue eyes full of fear.

"Mummy hit her head!" Leah said, "And daddy's with her."

"Do you mind keeping an eye on the two of them while I go and let Mr. Hunt I'm here?" Fiona asked the nurse,

"Of course" the nurse agreed, they're that way," the nurse replied nodding her head to the right.

Upon entering Alex's room, Fiona let out a gasp, not expecting to see the sight she had just walked into.

"Guv?" Fiona whispered, Gene jumped at hearing Fiona speaking.

"How is she?" Fiona asked

"Not great," replied, he had managed to stop his tears a few minutes earlier.

"She's in surgery just now."

"She's a fighter Guv!" Fiona replied,

"Would you-" Gene was cut off as Fiona had already answered his question.

"Course I'll keep the girls at my house until you know what's happening."

"Thanks for helping me out." he smiled a tiny smile.

"It's no problem Guv, anything to help." Fiona smiled slightly.

"I'll come with you and see the girls before you go" he replied as they walked towards thee cubical where the girls were still being looked after by a nurse.

"Daddy!" Olivia ran to her father as soon as she had seen him.

"Where's Mummy?" Leah asked her massive blue eyes looking at him inquisitively.

"Mummy is being looked after by the doctors because her head was bleeding," Gene explained as simply as he could, "Fiona's going to take you to her house just now while daddy stays here to see how mummy is, O.k.?"

"O.k. Daddy!" Leah and Olivia said in unison, sitting on his knees.

Kissing his girls good-bye, he handed their care for the time being to Fiona, knowing that they would be well looked after.

_**A few hours later…**_

"Mr. Hunt?" an unfamiliar voice asked, approaching him in the surgical waiting room, he had grey eyes, that looked tired, and he wore green surgical gowns, his stethoscope hung round his neck, he took his glasses off and sat down next to Gene, a look on his face that Gene did not like, it was one of solemn sympathy.

"Mr. Hunt, your wife's injuries weren't as severe as we first thought… but…"

"No…" Gene didn't like where he thought this was going,

"Is…Is…She…" he couldn't finish his question, as a feeling of vomit crept up in his throat, terrified of what the doctor would say next.

"You're wife lost a lot of blood during surgery, but we were able to stop it." The doctor informed Gene, "And our suspicions of a placental abruption were correct.

"Did…?" Gene stuttered,

"I'm sorry Mr. Hunt but she lost the baby she was carrying." the doctor informed.

"How far…" he could feel the taste of vomit burning the back of his throat again.

"From the tests we had estimated about 18-20weeks, and these were correct, she was 20weeks pregnant." the doctor said softly.

"Do you wish to know the baby's sex?" the doctor looking at Gene, who's head was telling him "NO" but the pain in his heart forced him into nodding.

"It was a boy. I'm so sorry Mr. Hunt."

"And Alex" Gene whispered so quietly the doctor hardly heard him.

"We managed to repair any damage caused by the accident, and stop the bleeding, but…"

"But what?" Gene asked staring at the doctor still in shock,

""I'm afraid she's in a coma." the doctor replied quietly.

"Will she wake up?" Genes voice trembled, his hands also begining to shake in fear.

"It's a waiting game now Mr. Hunt, the next 48hours will be crucial We will then perform a series of tests to determine whether there is any brain activity"

"So" Gene began to speak again, suddenly realising, "That if there's no brain activity in 48hours…"

The doctor just nodded. Gene trusted him, to do whatever was needed to be done so that what he dreaded happening didn't actually happen.

_**Well that's chapter 4! I hope you are still enjoying this story, and I hope that you will review so that my writing can improve, because if you don't review I can't get better.**_

_**Thanks again for reading! xx**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

_**Thank you to those of you who have been following this story from the start, and those of you that have been great with your reviews. You know who you are! Without your kind reviews I would not have had the confidence to continue writing. So thank you!**_

The doctor had informed Gene that he could see Alex once she had her post-op tests done but that it would take about an hour. As Gene hated hospitals he decided it would be best if he went for some fresh air to get away from the smell of the hospital that was beginning to make him feel sick.

Leaving the hospital by the main entrance, he saw Jack approaching him, his face red with anger.

"Alright Guv?" he asked, "How's D.I Hunt?"

"Jus out of surgery, Doc's say we'll need to wait" Gene replied, "How come yer here anyway?"

"Erm…" Jack wasn't sure if it was the right time to tell his D.C.I exactly why he was here.

"Just tell me Jack I'm not in the mood for ye messing around!"

"The driver of the van has… well he's done a bunk from 'ere. No one knows where he's went."

Jack prepared himself for what was ultimately coming next.

"WHO THE BLOODY HELL LET HIM GO?" Genes face was red with anger; Jack could practically see the steam coming out of his ears,

"Two plonks Guv. They've already been suspended." Jack replied quickly.

"Under who's order?"

"Well… Mine Guv… since you're here I thought I'd better do something"

"Good move" Gene replied looking at his watch, "I'd be best getting back to Alex, and you better get back to that station and catch the bastard's that's done this!" Gene replied a single tear ran down his face.

"Guv? Are you o.k.?" Jack asked noticing Genes emotion.

"Tell anyone and I'll demote ye back to D.C. Understand?" Hr would usually be able to come up with one of his witty one liners but couldn't think of any under the circumstances.

Jack just nodded and turned away from Gene to walk back to his car.

Gene watched as he got into his car and waited until he was out of sight before he sat down on the steps of the hospital, the tears rolling down his face, not even brushing them away, he decided to try something he hadn't done since he was about ten years old. He began to pray.

"_God, it's me its Gene. You listening 't me? If ye are, you can't let her die. You just can't. If ye wanted someone why not take me instead? She's worth a million of me. What use am I? I'm nothing without her. My two gorgeous girls ye've blessed me with need their mum. I can not be a father without her. I'd be useless without her. I need her God, I love her, Please do not let her die. Please God._

Ten minutes later on his return to the surgical waiting room, he noticed a young woman sitting in the corner, with a little boy about eighteen months old sleeping in her arms. She had straight blonde hair and her eyes were pink and puffy, obviously caused by crying.

"You o.k. luv?" Gene asked her concerned.

The young woman shook her head, tears rolling down her face.

"It's my fiancé." She sobbed, feeling as though she could trust this stranger, due to the sadness in his eyes.

"He…He died in surgery about an hour ago. I don't know what to do."

"What was he in surgery for?" Gene asked sitting down opposite her in one of the hard plastic chairs.

"He was run over this morning."

"I know how eye feel love" Gene replied , "My wife was in a car accident this morning, she's out of surgery but the Doc's say it's a waiting game now."

"Oh, I'm sorry" the woman gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Do you have any children?" The woman asked, suddenly intrigued by this man, who looked as hard as nails, but was surprising her at how sensitive he really was.

"Two girls, five and three" he smiled thinking of his daughters.

"What's your name?" the woman asked, realising she was telling this man all about her, and didn't even know his name.

"Gene" he replied.

"You're not that copper are you?" she asked suddenly realising how she recognised him.

"Yes, D.C.I Gene Hunt" he replied.

"Please find the man responsible for my Andrews death Mr. Hunt. Please." she said to him.

"I will luv. Have the police provided you with any details yet?" he asked

"All they have told me is that it was a white transit van" she replied.

"Don't worry luv, I promise ye I will get him." Gene replied.

"Mr. Hunt?" a nurse appeared behind him, "You can go and sit with your wife now."

"Jesus Christ" he thought getting up to follow the nurse. "It's the same bastard."

Meeting that young woman had made Gene realise just how lucky Alex had been, because that could be him right now, in that waiting room, not knowing what to do. He realised just how lucky Alex had been. The circumstances could have been reversed.

He entered Alex's room to see her still hooked up to the ventilator, drugs being pumped into one arm through a drip, the heart monitor beeping away.

He took a seat next to her and took her hand, kissing it softly.

"I'll get the bastard that's done this 't ye, I promise you I'll find him and he'll be the one in a coma. I promise ye he'll pay for what he's done to you. I won't let you down."

There was no other noise in the room other that the ventilator breathing for Alex and the constant beeps from the heart monitor.

To Gene it looked as though Alex was sleeping, except for the large plastic tube extruding from her mouth to the machine next to the other side of the bed.

"Oh Alex, why can't ye just wake up. Please!"

He sounded desperate, but he was, he didn't know how he would go on without her. He couldn't be a father himself. He wasn't cut out for it.

_**48hours later…**_

Gene hadn't left Alex's side, except to phone Fiona to check on the girls, phone the office to see if they had found the driver, to have something to eat and use the toilet.

He desperately needed a shower and have a shave. His face and jaw line was covered in a stubble, he stank of his own odour, but he refused to leave until Alex woke up or gave up fighting. He kept praying for the former.

The doctors had informed Gene that they would perform the brain function tests that morning. He had been dreading this because he was terrified that the doctors would tell him that Alex was gone.

Gene had remembered the day Olivia was born the truth about this world, the truth that they were in a parallel world now, he hadn't told Alex because he loved her so much. He had promised himself the day before that if Alex did wake up then he would tell her the truth, about everything, him, this world and why they were in it.

Later that morning Dr. Garity entered Alex's room.

"Morning Mr. Hunt."

Gene just nodded in response, his eyes fixed on Alex.

"Do you wish to stay with your wife while we perform the tests?"

He just nodded again, moving from the side of the bed to let the doctor in.

The doctor firstly opened Alex's eyelids and shone a torch into each eye in turn. He then ran a cotton bud over the cornea of each eye, before injecting ice cold water into her eyes, and finally putting pressure on her forehead.

"Well?" Gene asked unable to read the expressions on the two doctor's faces.

"Mr. Hunt" the doctor turned to him, taking off his glasses.

"Do not give me that look!" Gene demanded,

"Please don't tell me…" his face crumpled as he looked at Alex's pale face, which still looked as though she was sleeping.

"Mr. Hunt, please calm down," the doctor said in a calm voice, "There is definite signs that your wife's brain is indeed still active. She must just be lost somewhere in her subconscious."

"She's not de-" Gene let out a sigh of relief.

"No Mr. Hunt she's not!" the doctor smiled.

I recommend that you go home for a few hours, freshen up, get some sleep, you look as though you need it."

"What if she wakes up and I'm not here?" Gene asked.

"Then we'll phone you immediately" The doctor smiled, "Go home and see your girls."

He reluctantly let go of her hand, knowing that she would moan at him if she knew he hadn't saw his daughters in over 48hours, or that he looked terrible.

He desperately wanted to cuddle his girls, to see their blue eyes and see their little smiling faces.

He arrived home to silence, which was unheard of in the Hunt household. The silence was deafening to him. No talking from his girls, no Alex cooking dinner. Nothing.

He sat on their bed and picked up Alex's night gown which had been left on the bed. He pressed it to his nose; there was still a faint scent of Alex on it, a scent that warmed him, one that sent Goosebumps up his arms. He lay back on the bed, clasping the night gown close to h9im.

"Five minutes and I'll get showered, then go and see the girls" he thought as he closed his eyes.

What seemed like five minutes later, he awoke with a start, a cold sweat on his brow.

"Jesus…" He thought what time is it?"

Looking at his watch he saw it was 5.30pm.

"Bloody 'ell I've been asleep for five hours!" He cursed himself as he got up from the bed.

As the shower ran hot, he stepped under the running water, it cascading over his body, causing the knots of muscles from sitting in a hard plastic chair for 2days to relax. He wished that Alex were here to give him one of her famous massages.

Stepping out of the water he shivered as the water on his skin, evaporated as he hit the cool air of the bathroom.

Pulling on fresh clothes he still could not get his head to adjust to the silence that surrounded him, before pulling on his long black coat, exiting the flat and driving the short distance to Fiona's flat.

As he pulled up outside Fiona's house he composed himself before getting out of the car.

As he rang the doorbell he heard a thunderous stampede of tiny feet charging towards the door, and although mumbled he could make out Leah's voice shouting,

"It's daddy Olivia, his cars outside.

"Well let me open the door then" he could just about hear Fiona say over delighted squeals.

As the door opened, Gene was nearly knocked backwards as he knelt to pull his girls into a tight cuddle, relieved that he could eventually hug them.

In the living room Leah began questioning her father.

"Where's mummy? She asked, "Is she still in the hospital? Did the doctors fix her head?"

"Mummy's still not well so she's going to have to stay in the hospital for now" Gene explained the best he could.

"Can we go and see her?" Olivia asked, "I can kiss her head better like she kisses my sore knees better when I fall and hurt them"

Gene had explained Alex's condition to Fiona over the phone, and as Olivia so naively said those words, Fiona had to leave the living room, to stop herself from crying in front of the girls, leaving Gene alone with his daughters in the living room to explain why they couldn't go and see their mummy.

"I'm sorry sweetheart" Gene soothed, "the doctors say that mummy needs to sleep right now"

"Can we go and see her when she wakes up?" Olivia asked oblivious to Leash who had noticed the tears in her father's eyes.

"Olivia go and get the picture you drew for mummy and let daddy see!"

"O.k.!" Olivia smiled getting off her fathers knee and running to the spare bedroom.

"Daddy?" Leah asked, "Why are you crying?"

"Oh it's nothing." He lied hugging his oldest daughter close.

"Is mummy REALLY going to wake up? She asked as a tear trickled from her big blue eyes.

"SShh…" Gene soothed his eldest daughter, not answering the question, as his youngest daughter ran back into the living room handing him a picture of a house and stick people. Three of them wearing triangle skirts, the third not.

"What's this?" Gene asked.

"Me, Leah, you and Mummy at a big princess house." Olivia replied her blue eyes dancing with excitement.

"Daddy needs to go back and see mummy now, but I'll come and see you two tomorrow" he said with a sad smile.

"And we can go and see mummy!" Olivia cried.

"Only if the doctor says so." He replied, kneeling down to pull both his daughters into a tight cuddle, wishing he didn't have to let them go, as he didn't know what to expect on his return to the hospital.

On his return to the hospital, he resumed his position by Ale's side, holding her left hand firmly; but softly, and sat in the same hard plastic chair her had sat in for the past two days. There was no significant signs of improvement form her as she lay silent on the bed.

Laying his head down onto the edge of the bed, he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand; his eyes were heavy, like someone had tied weights to them, that were causing them to droop.

He closed his eyes, and within minutes was in a deep sleep, and his subconscious kicked in, and he began to dream,

"_His hands we on her breasts, her moans were showing her enjoyment, whilst she nibbled on hi earlobe, whispering in a sultry tone,"You ready for me big boy?" They kissed passionately, hands all over each other, he placed little butterfly kisses along her smooth stomach, getting close to her frilly black knickers before sliding them down her long toned legs, the bulge in his pants throbbing… _

_But why is she squeezing my left hand? Why the hells she doing that?_

Gene suddenly bolted awake as his left hand was being squeezed, gently but tightly. His eyes looked up the frail figure in front of him, until his blue eyes melted in her brown ones.

"Alex?" he whispered, he could see her struggling with the tube in her mouth.

"DOCTOR!" He yelled into the corridor, and ten seconds later the kind eyed surgeon was in the room.

"You had us worried there for a while Alex." The surgeon smiled at her.

"Right I want you to take a deep breathe in and blow out hard Alex.

She did as she was told, coughing hard as the tube was removed.

"Oh Alex!" Gene whispered as he kissed the back of her hand, "I thought I'd lost you."

"Leah!" Alex whispered in a panicky hoarse voice.

"Ssshhh, she's fine, both her and Olivia are at Fiona's.

"What happened?" she asked her throat still hoarse and dry.

"Don't you remember?" Gene asked soothingly.

"The last thing I remember is looking at the clock in the car and thinking we were going to be late." She replied in a panic.

"Oh Gene tell me it wasn't my fault!" she begged, still panicking.

"Its was a drunk," he replied placing her head against his chest in a half hug.

The beating of his heart against her ears soothed Alex's panic, and she began taking deep breaths.

"I'm going 't make that bastard pay!" he said, "What would I have done if I'd av lost ye Alex?"

"Oh Gene," Alex whispered, still hoarse, as a single tear fell from the end of his nose hitting her forehead.

Deciding that it would be better for Alex if he told her rather than a doctor, he cupped her frail looking face in his hands,

"Alex, I need to tell you something…" he choked on his words.

"What is it Gene?" she asked removing his hands from her face, as his piercing blue eyes were brimming with tears, and Alex could tell that they weren't happy tears.

"Gene…" she said softly, urging him to continue.

"Did you know you were pregnant?" he asked gently.

"What?" Alex cried putting a hand to her stomach only to find layers of bandages.

Taking her hand back, Gene simply shook his head, his eyes still brimming with tears.

"You were injured really badly," he continued tears falling from his eyes but he didn't care how he looked.

"You had a placental abruption" he finished, the tears streaming down Alex's face,

"How far…?" She sobbed uncontrollably,

"Twenty weeks Alex." He replied, knowing what her next question would be, answering it before it was asked.

"It was a boy Alex, a boy."

He placed his arms round her trembling shoulders; he was unable to control her sobs this time.

"I'm… I'm..." She sobbed.

"Ssshhh…" he soothed her, "Ssshh, It'll be alright."

He knew he would have to break the other news to her, but it wasn't the time for it, the other news could wait. She needed her rest.

_**Well that's chapter 5. I hope that you have all enjoyed it. I wasn't gong to have her waking up in this chapter, but decided to because of where the story is going. There may be a delay on the next chapter as I'm still writing it, but hopefully shouldn't be too long.**_

_**Please review and let me know what you think! xx**_


	6. The Girl with the Mole

**Chapter 6 – The Girl with the mole**

After soothing Alex's tears, and shedding some himself, he left a sleeping Alex and returned to his car.

Ringing the bell at Fiona's flat, he heard only one set of footsteps, and Fiona opened the door, her dressing gown pulled tightly around her.

"Guv, what's wrong? Its 7am."

"Oh I'm sorry Fiona, I lost track of time" Gene replied apologetically.

"Come in." She smiled sleepily.

"She's awake!" He smiled sitting down,

"Oh thank god!"

"I though I was going to loose her Fiona, I'd prepared myself for the worse."

"The girls will be so excited to see her." Fiona replied, "Do you want a cuppa?"

Nodding he replied,

"I'm going to go wake the girls and tell them their mummy wants to see them."

Entering the dark room the only sound was the deep breathing of his girls and Olivia, who like her father was a light sleeper, tossing and turning restfully.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he spoke softly,

"Leah, Olivia, time to get up."

Leah was first to notice her father after waking up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes,

"Daddy!" she cried diving towards him to hug him, followed closely by Olivia.

"Good morning" Gene kissed each girl on top of their head.

"Guess what?" he asked them smiling.

"What?" they both asked their big blue eyes alive with excitement.

"Mummy wants to see her two pretty little girls."

"Is she all better?" Leah asked excitedly,

"Well she's going to have to stay in the hospital for a while but the doctors say that her two pretty little girls can go and see her now." he explained.

"Oh Goody!" Olivia clapped her hands excitedly.

"Can we take her flowers?" Leah asked,

"Of course you can!" He replied lifting the two of them to his hips and carrying them to the kitchen where Fiona had poured two bowls of cereal.

"We're going to see mummy!" Olivia cried.

"Not right now you're not, mummy will be sleeping!" Gene replied,

"When then?" Olivia asked with a mouthful of cereal.

"This afternoon!" Gene laughed, "And don't talk with your mouth full Olivia Hunt!"

_Later that afternoon…_

Gene and the girls arrived at the hospital that afternoon for visiting, each girl was carrying a bunch of their mums favourite flowers- Lilly's- Olivia struggling to se over the top of hers, also carrying a picture she had drew that morning.

Leah had picked out their clothes that they were wearing, after Olivia had insisted that she wanted to wear a fancy dress costume, comprising of "Snow Whites dress"

Gene had told his girls, not to climb over their mummy because she had bandages on her tummy because it was sore.

They walked either side of their father down the long corridor to Alex's ward, where Alex had been moved to just before Gene had left that morning.

"This place smells funny!" Leah said screwing her nose up.

"I know sweetheart, I don't like it either."

Two minutes later they entered Alex's room, and upon seeing her daughters she burst into tears of happiness.

"Don't cry mummy," Olivia soothed, "We brought you pretty flowers and I drawed you a picture!"

"Come here," Alex said to her girls, hugging them as they stood by the side of her bed.

"I'm crying because I'm happy to see you" Alex said stroking their hair lovingly.

"Who picked out your dresses?" Alex asked,

"We did!" they both chorused proudly.

"Why have you got bandages on your tummy mummy?" Leah's inquisitive eyes were on Alex's stomach, where the bandages from her surgery were visible underneath her hospital gown.

Alex looked at Gene, who shook his head. The girls were too young at the moment to understand, and both he and Alex were yet to come to terms with the loss of their son, something they would have to do together before telling anyone else.

"So girls?" Alex asked turning her attention to her girls, "Did you have fun at Fiona's?"

An hour later, at the end of visiting, Alex kissed her girls' good bye, before kissing Gene softly.

"I'll see you later" he whispered.

Alex simply nodded, and even though she loved her girls more than life itself, she hoped he would come alone.

As soon as she was sure they were gone, she allowed the tears that had been building up to finally fall from her face.

She suddenly remembered what she had experienced during her com-

She had heard a child crying, and yet it wasn't a child, the crying was coming from a young adult, the girl was sitting at a desk and she was saying, "I wish you were still here mum, I'm really struggling with this Latin GCSE." Alex had thought she recognised the girl, she had long

Brown hair, tied back, she had a mole on her left cheek. The girl stopped crying for a second, and looked towards were Alex was watching her for, and Alex thought she knew the child's name. Before she could act, she had woke, squeezing Gene's left hand.

"I wonder who she is?" Alex thought to herself, as a nurse entered her room to administer Alex's anti-biotic, and provide her with her dinner of a clear broth soup

Meanwhile had driven to Luigi's to take the girls for dinner.

"HI Uncle Luigi!" the girls ran straight round the bar to greet Luigi.

"Signor, how is your wife?" Luigi asked Gene whilst handing the girls a glass of lemonade each.

"She's awake now but will be in hospital for at least another week." Gene replied.

Gene was desperate to get back to work in order to catch the driver of that van, but the grief he was feeling in his heart had to be dealt with first, or risk doing time himself for what he wanted to do to that driver.

"Daddy can I have meatballs?" Leah asked startling him from his thoughts.

"You can have anything you want" he smiled.

An hour or so later after finishing their dinner Gene drove back to Fiona's to drop the girls off so he could go back to the hospital and spend some time alone with Alex.

"I'll be back to take you home later." He said, kissing each of his girls on his forehead.

Back at the hospital, Alex was desperate to see Gene to tell him what she had remembered about being in a coma.

"Hi," she said quietly as he entered the room a few minutes later.

"How are you feeling?" he asked kissing her softly.

"O.k. I guess" she shrugged, "I need to ask you something,

"What?" he asked clasping her hand in his.

"You were really upset earlier about…" she trailed,

"Well obviously Alex, we lost our baby, I'm not going to be shouting it from the rooftops am I?"

"I didn't mean it like that Gene…"

He had upset her; the look on her face said it all.

"I'm sorry Alex…" he squeezed her hand tenderly.

"But it was a boy Gene. A boy. You've always wanted a son…" she was crying again, the tears fell from her face and onto her hospital gown.

"If only I'd been thirty seconds later." she sobbed.

"Ssshh… don't do this to yourself Alex. It wasn't your fault. Ye hear me. It wasn't your fault." he spoke softly but firmly.

"But…" she hiccupped.

"No buts Alex, we'll get through this, I promise ye"

"Gene…" she whispered, her voice barley audible.

"What?" he asked suddenly concerned by the look on her face,

"Do you need the doctor?"

She shook her head taking his other hand,

"When I was in a coma did I say anything?" she asked.

Shaking his head, looking at her sad brown eyes he knew there was more.

"I went somewhere Gene, there was a girl crying. I recognised her, although I don't know her, she was saying she was struggling with GCSE Latin, saying she wished her mum was there. I even thought I knew her name. But I can't have. Could I?"

Gene looked at her sad eyes, not knowing whether to break her heart again for the second time that day or not, on the same day that she had been told she had lost a baby.

"Alex…" he began, his blue eyes melting in her brown ones.

Gene returned to Fiona's to collect his daughters about an hour later, to find them arguing with each other because they were tired.

"Right girls. ENOUGH! Time to go home." he loved his girls, and it was Alex who was usually the strict one, but he felt he had to get them to stop arguing.

Strapping them into the car, they waved good-bye to Fiona, as he pulled the car away from the kerb.

On the road home the girls suddenly went from being grumpy to hyper.

He knew this would be fun; trying to settle to hyperactive children for bed.

Arriving home, the girls were giggling about nothing.

"Leah go and put your nightdress on while I help Olivia o.k.?"

"O.k." Leah giggled running off.

Gene had put Olivia into her bed and had went to the toilet, before returning to Olivia's room to tuck her in.

Upon entering her room he saw that she wasn't in her bed.

"She'll be in Leah's room" he thought opening Leah's room door, but there was no-one there either.

"Where are you two?" he shouted.

Following the sound of giggles to his and Alex's room he found his two girls using his bed as their very own trampoline.

"Boing, Boing, Boing!" they sang as they bounced up and down.

"What are you two up too?" he laughed.

"Bouncing on your bed!" Leah said, stating the obvious.

"Well I can see that!" he chuckled.

"Can we sleep here with you tonight daddy?" Olivia asked, her blue eyes tired.

"So that you're not alone" Leah added.

That was all Gene needed, the floodgates had opened again, his face awash with tears.

"Of course you both can. In you get!" he pulled the duvet back and both Leah and Olivia climbed in.

"Can you read us a bedtime story please?" Olivia asked looking at her father.

Gene returned a few minutes later from Olivia's room with a worn out copy of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"

Fifteen minutes later Gene had two sleeping little girls in front of him. He covered them up to their chins, kissed their foreheads and retreated to the living room where he poured himself a large whiskey.

He sat down and tried to figure out a way of breaking the news to Alex, about the truth about her experience when she had been in a coma, and also the news that had shattered him, the news that would break Alex's heart. That they would probably, more than likely be unable to conceive any more children.

_**Thanks for reading, sorry if it seems rushed, but I've literally just finished writing this chapter yesterday. There may be a delay in the next chapter being uploaded as I'm still writing it.**_

_**Meanwhile please review, and don't be afraid to criticise. I'm open to suggestions on how to improve!**_

_**Bye for now! xx**_


	7. Just the Truth

**Chapter 7 - Just the truth**

_Hi guys, really sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up, I haven't been having a good time of it, firstly my computer broke down, then I lost my memory stick that I had initially typed this chapter up on - so this is the third time I have typed this up._

_Thanks to those who have sent me such lovely reviews I appreciate it more than you know. A big thanks to da Ruth for the advice she gave me as well. _

It had been a week since Alex had awoken from her coma and the doctors had decided that although she was still weak she was strong enough to go home, although she wasn't to return to work for at least three weeks, and Gene had also told her that she would be on desk duty for another month upon her return.

Gene hadn't told Alex what he knew, because he still could stop thinking to himself,

"Hs she remembered?"

Entering Alex's hospital room that afternoon to take her home, he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed smiling at him, but the smile never reached her eyes.

"You all ready?" he asked her, to which she simply nodded.

He took her arm to help her to her feet, shocked at how frail she was and how unsteady she was on her feet. Her frail frame felt even lighter than normal to him, he could feel the bones of her wrist digging into his arm as he supported her into the wheelchair he had brought with him.

Alex was a shell of her former self at this moment, she stared ahead, not speaking two words as Gene pushed the chair to the car.

"Alex?" he asked bringing the chair to a stop,

"Are ye wanting 't get into the car, cause I'm sure it's more comfy than here yer arse is planted at the moment."

He couldn't help but notice the edges of her mouth curl up into a smirk. It had been the first time he had witnessed her smile in a week.

She grabbed hold of his arm in an attempt to pull herself up, but had no strength in her body to do so, causing her to fall down into the chair.

Gene hooked his arms under her armpits and helped her into the car, where she let out a sigh of relief.

After returning the wheelchair to the main entrance of the hospital he returned to the car and a waiting Alex.

"I'm so glad to be going home," she sighed, it had been the first she had spoken that day.

"The girls have been hyper all morning," he smiled at her.

"I can't wait to get into my own bed, a comfy bed," she sighed thinking about her home comforts.

Ten minutes later, and after a long journey up the two flights of stairs, Gene opened the front door to a chorus of ,"Welcome Home!" from the girls, Luigi, Jack and Fiona.

"Oh!" Alex gasped in surprise.

Helping her sit down on the sofa, he noticed how desperately thin she was, but never saying anything.

The girls were cuddling into their um, one at each side of her.

"I'm so glad to be home," she smiled a proper smile, "I couldn't take any more of that rubbish hospital food!"

"D.S Jack Adams, why are you not at the station tracking down that BAS-"

"Language Gene!" Alex warned.

"Sorry," he muttered.

He had explained to Alex that there was no trace of the van driver, the van itself had been stolen and they had no clear leads except for a name, Jonathan Clyde.

Gene couldn't understand how someone could just vanish. It was driving him mad knowing that the man who had almost caused Alex's death was still out there, free to cause further harm

Half an hour later their guests had left leaving Gene and Alex alone with their daughters, who were singing nursery rhymes in the corner of the living room, Alex staring t them lovingly.

Seeing this, Gene cleared his throat, knowing it was now or never.

"Girls, go and play in your room, I need to talk to mummy," Gene told his daughters.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked looking up at him, his eyes saying they were aching to tell her something.

"I didn't know how to tell you this before Alex, but I know I have to," he spoke softly.

"Tell me what?" she asked sitting up to look at him.

"The doctors told me that... well we may not able to have any more children. I thought it would be best coming from me." he finished.

"What?" she asked, "But…"

"Sshh…" he whispered, hugging her tenderly.

"But…But…" she was sobbing into his neck,

"We've got our two gorgeous girls, at least we have that to be thankful for," he soothed,

"Thank you," she whispered in a half sob.

"For what?" he replied pulling back to look her in the eyes.

"For everything," she whispered, "Our girls, not letting the doctors tell me, everything." She finished placing a light kiss on his cheek.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself to continue.

"Alex… you know how you told me about seeing that girl…" Alex had cut him off,

"I know Gene," she whispered,

"What?" he replied.

"I remember," she whispered, softly touching the side of his face.

"Alex, you remember?" he asked shocked at her revelation.

"Well… some things, tell me what I can't remember Gene."

"Well…" he began, "This world is where we as coppers come when we…well when we have unfinished business, or if we haven't been able to give our best." he explained as best he could.

"So…" she trailed, "We can't be, can we?"

"I was shot, like you Alex, Jack committed suicide and Fiona was knocked down." he explained.

"But…" she was looking sad and confused.

"I told you this once before Alex, and you chose to stay here, rather than go with Ray, Chris and Shaz," he said softly.

"I remember… Please don't tell me I have to… have to…" she was hysterical now.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do Alex," he whispered so softly Alex could hardly hear him.

"I can't ever go there," she sobbed, "I can't I'm a mother.

"About what you saw Alex," he began, "I think I can explain that."

"How?" she asked.

"It sounds like you saw your daughter Molly," he started to explain.

"Even though you're… well when you were in a coma, you could see her because she needed you, you were like a guardian angel, watching over her."

"It felt as though she could sense me though," she hiccupped.

"I know… I know…" he soothed, "I told you she'd be o.k. didn't I?"

"But how can this be real if we're…" she couldn't bring herself to say the last words.

"It is real Alex its hard to explain, but its like purguary or a parallel existence.

"Even though she still felt confused, it was beginning to make sense to her now, as she now knew why she was here. She was here for a second chance at life. A chance to make a difference. She decided there and then that she couldn't give up on life, she had lost her daughter Molly when she had came here, and now she had lost a son, but there were two little girls who needed their mum, and she couldn't give it up, as she couldn't face losing two more children.

Later that night Gene had helped Alex into bed, the girls were tucked up in their own beds, so Gene retreated to the couch and poured himself a large scotch whiskey, and began to ponder his thoughts.

"She took that rather well." he thought, "Too well actually…"

He finished his whiskey and turned off the lamp before walking through the darkened rooms to thee bedroom, where thorough the darkness he could hear sobbing, which stopped abruptly as he entered the bedroom.

Climbing into bed beside her he whispered,

"Alex?" and placed a protective arm around her waist.

"Gene," she sobbed, "why can't life ever be simple?"

"Sshh… c'mere," he soothed kissing her on the forehead,

"I promised you we would get through this and we will."

Gene knew half an hour later by Alex's deep breathing that she was asleep, and he drifted in to a restless sleep, images of the farm house where he had died plagued his dreams, as well as images of his girls screaming for him to help them and stay with them.

"NO!" he awoke with a start, a cold sweat all over his body.

"It was only a dream Gene," Alex's voice soothed him back to sleep, but Alex couldn't sleep for thinking about Molly, but especially thinking about their lost son. She eventually fell into a deep sleep at around 4am, listening to Genes snores next to her.

_Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but the next chapter will be better I promise! And it's a lot more exciting, I just thought it would be best to leave this chapter here, hope you all agree! Again sorry for the delay in updating, there shouldn't be as much of a delay for the next chapter, but in the meanwhile please leave me reviews! Thanks._


	8. Police Brutality

**Chapter 8 - Police Brutality**

**O.k. it's my day off work so thought I would get this chapter done. Thanks to those who left me reviews last night for chapter 7. **

Gene woke the next morning at 6.45am, deciding to leave Alex sleeping, woke his girls and gave them their breakfast before dropping them off at nursery and school. Luigi had offered to help Gene and Alex out by picking up the girls in the afternoons o that Alex could have her rest.

Gene arrived at the office that morning to a bustle of excitement.

"What's going on?" he asked as he entered C.I.D.

We've had a sighting of that bastard van driver," Jack replied.

"Where?" Gene asked turning to the door to leave.

"Down by the docks Guv," Jack replied following him out of the office.

"Right, get armed back up down there and a barrel full of plonks!" Gene barked at the desk clerk, to which he got the reply,

"Of course Guv!"

Two minutes later Gene was back in the car, Jack in the passenger's side, and Gene began his erratic drive through the streets of London until they reached the docks.

"Right, where now sergeant smart arse!" Gene asked looking annoyed.

"Eh…there Guv" Jack pointed to a warehouse about 100yards away where a van was parked in the doors.

"Right Jack and two plonks round the back with two of armed back up, everyone else with me in the front." Gene ordered.

Two minutes later Gene led as armed back up followed into the darkened warehouse, the only light that entered was through the broken dirty windows.

There was a sickly sweet smell in the warehouse, a distinctive smell that Gene knew through his years of experience with dealing with drug dealers what the smell was,

"Whacky Backy!" he grumbled knowledgably. They made their way through the darkened warehouse; the smell grew stronger with every step they took into the darkness.

Kicking the door down directly to his right, Gene had great pleasure in shouting,

"Don't move you are surrounded by armed bastards!"

The aroma hit Gene, making him feel sick, "Good God!"

The two men in the room aimed guns at Gene and his colleges behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Gene smirked.

"Ha!" the first man laughed, "You think you're smart Hunt, I've had this place for years and you've never heard of me!"

"You may have slipped under my radar, but you made the mistake of ramming that van into my missus!"

"You're married?" the men taunted Gene, "Hahaha!"

"SHUT IT ye BASTARD!" Gene shouted.

Little did the two men know, but Jack was now approaching them from behind with two PCs. With one swoop of his fist, the first man was on the floor, closely followed by the second.

Gene was straight over to them, his foot made contact with the first mans skull with a sickening crunch.

"You like that? Eh?" Gene asked putting more pressure on the mans skull.

"Guv," Jack had handed the second man to the PCs,

"What Jack, I'm a bit busy here!" Gene shouted at Jack.

"Guv, that's enough!" Jack tried to pull Gene away from the man.

"ENOUGH?" Gene blasted, "I'm just getting started!" He had now pulled the man to his feet, slamming him against a nearby wall.

"For what he's put my family through, oh I'm just starting Jack!"

He pulled his arm back and rammed his tightly clenched fist right into the mans jaw with full force.

"Enough Guv!" Jack had grabbed Genes arm and handcuffed the mans who's nose was bleeding and his gums also.

"Police brutality!" the man muttered.

"Oh ye want police brutality?" Gene asked, "I'll show ye police brutality!" Gene shouted straight into his face.

Back at the car Gene pushed the mans head into the roof of the car.

"Oi ye bastard, stop bleedin' all over my car!"

He then pushed the man into the back of a police van, which was now on scene, before returning to his car, where Jack was glaring at him.

Back at the station Gene and Jack entered interview room one, where the man was waiting, smirking at Gene as he entered.

"Don't know what you're smirking at Clyde!" Gene shouted slamming Clyde's head down on to the table. "Where you're going ye certainly won't be smiling."

"Its took ye six years to track me down Hunt! You've lost your touch!"

Gene grabbed Clyde by his t-shirt and slammed him up against the wall, Genes nose centimetres away from Clyde's.

"What did you say?" Gene asked in a low growl.

"You've lost your touch!" Clyde snarled back.

"Sit!" Gene barked throwing Clyde's skinny frame back towards the table.

"Jack, charge this bastard with Possession, dealing, driving under the influence, driving without due care and attention and death by dangerous driving!" he shouted, slamming the door behind him as he left, leaving Jack to charge Jonathan Clyde.

"I'm going home 't my missus!" he informed the desk clerk when passing, all the time thinking to himself,

"Six years to catch a scumbag bastard? What's wrong with me? Maybe I am starting to loose my touch."

_**Back home…**_

It was only 2.30pm and Luigi wasn't due to drop the girls off for another hour and a half yet.

Gene opened the front door expecting to find Alex snuggled up on the sofa, reading a book or watching T.V but the living room was eerily quiet. Opening the bedroom door he found Alex, quilt up to her chin, lying in bed crying.

"Oh Gene," she brushed the tears from her face, "I didn't expect you home this early is everything o.k.?"

"Oh Alex," he pulled her into a protective cuddle, "Have you been in bed all day?" he asked in a whisper, looking into her brown eyes which were still full of tears, and pink and puffy from crying.

She gave a tiny nod before the floodgates opened again.

"SShh," he whispered into her curly hair.

"We got him Alex. Today. He's gong down for a long time."

"What?" she hiccupped, "Who was it?"

"A guy called Jonathan Clyde," he replied.

"That names familiar," she whispered 2Why?"

"I know, I thought the same," Gene whispered back.

"How's your scar healing up?" he asked changing the subject.

"Have a look," she whispered pulling up her black pyjama top to reveal a hard red scar that ran nearly the full length of her stomach.

He gently ran on of his fingers along it.

"Wait!" Alex suddenly exclaimed, causing Gene to retract his hand in fear that he had hurt her.

"Did you say his name was Jonathan Clyde?" she asked.

"Yes, why?" Gene asked suspiciously.

"Isn't that who you were investigating the day we found out I was…" she choked on her words because she was again crying.

"You're right Bolls," he lovingly stroked her hair, "that was one of the happiest days of my life," he smiled thinking of the day in question. "Well that, our wedding day and obviously the day Olivia was born!"

He noticed that Alex was smiling into his chest now and her tears had subsided.

"Yeah," she whispered, "those have been the happiest days of my life as well," she smiled at him, but his eyes were still sad, like hers.

"Thank-You," she whispered, tenderly kissing him.

"For what?" he asked, his eyes twinkled.

"You know what for," she replied, her eyes telling him what she couldn't.

He kissed her softly before asking her,

"Do ye feel up to going to Luigi's tonight for dinner?"

She nodded and Gene helped her out of the bed.

He helped her change into jogging bottoms and a baggy t-shirt, controlling any impulses he had, then he phoned Luigi.

"We're coming over; just take the girls to the restaurant.

"No problem Signor, see you soon," Luigi replied.

"Do you think we should tell the girls?" Alex asked from her spot on the sofa.

"Do you want to?" Gene asked cupping her face in his hands.

She gave a slight nod, "They need to know about their brother,"

"Do you want me to tell them?" Gene asked noticing the tears in her eyes once again.

"Would you? I don't think I could," she sighed,

"Course I'll tell them," Gene replied.

_**90 minutes later…**_

At Luigi's the family sat in the back corner, and they had asked Luigi for a screen for some privacy from the other diners.

"Girls we need to talk to you about something very important" Gene began, looking t his to little girls, who stared back at him their blue eyes wide open.

"Well you know that mummy had a really sore tummy, but it was because she had a baby in her tummy, but the baby… the baby died." Gene explained as best he could to a three and five year old.

"Is that why Mummy had bandages on her tummy then?" Leah asked looking sad.

"Yes sweetheart it is," Alex replied taking her little girls hand.

Olivia who had been staring at Alex stomach suddenly asked, 2Where did the baby go?"

"The doctors took him away darling," Gene whispered.

"Mum?" Leah asked her big blue eyes were full of tears, "Was it the accident that made the baby die?"

"Yes," Gene replied pulling his two girls onto his knees.

"Will that bad man from the van make me die?" Leah asked, the tears rolling down her face, her brown curls bouncing with her trembles.

"NO!" Gene replied firmly, "because daddy arrested him today and he's going to prison."

"Good!" Leah stated sounding a lot like Alex.

"Gene its 8pm, don't you think we should be getting home now?" Alex asked looking at her watch.

"Awwww Mum!" Leah and Olivia chorused in unison.

"I'll read you a bedtime story when we get home," Gene said,

"As long as it's Three little Pigs!" Leah added, "I like you're voice as the big bad wolf!" she giggled.

"Oh do you know?" Gene chuckled, "O.k. then Three Little Pigs it is then!"

"Yeah!" Olivia cried.

Alex had sat and watched Gene interacting with his daughters, and how much of a good father he was with them. She couldn't help but think that their family wouldn't be complete without a boy, and a son for Gene.

_**Thanks for reading. Please review so that I can review, and any criticism is welcome! Hoping it won't be too long until the next chapters up, but in the mean time please enjoy!**_

_**Bye for now! xx**_


	9. A Break for Two

**Chapter 9 - A Break for Two**

_Thanks for reading and following this story, special thanks to those that have left me reviews on here, they are, sash queen of the jungle, wwedx, theoofoof, thanks to those of you from Facebook as well, they are Janine, Lauraa and Heather, sorry If I've forgot anyone!_

_**Four weeks later…**_

It was Alex's first day back at work and was under strict instructions from Gene that she was under no circumstances to come on any calls with him.

She had gained her strength back, but still looked frail, passers by would whisper about her, saying how skinny she looked, which only depressed Alex even more than she already was.

She had been suffering from severe insomnia on and off, she didn't have much of an appetite and found herself crying for no exact reason.

She had made the decision to return to work at the objection of Gene, in the hope that it would take her mind off her health and also because she was going mad being stuck in the flat all day herself.

Gene himself was still concerned about Alex, about how uncharacteristically very quiet. He had his doubts that she was coping, because she wouldn't let him touch her, the doctors had informed them that until Alex was fully recovered they wouldn't be able to be intimate with each other, but she wouldn't even allow him to be near her. He would often watch her sleep at night thinking to himself, "Why won't she let me in?"

They hadn't spoken much about the baby either, it hurt them both too much to think bout it. Their only comfort was their girls.

Entering the office on her first morning back, Alex was relived that her life was beginning to get back to normality.

"Right, what's going off today?" Gene asked as he and Alex made one of their famous double door entrances.

"We've had a tip off on a drugs drop," Jack replied, "We going for it then?"

"When av' I ever turned down a chance to catch scum?" Gene replied, "You're staying ere Alex, don't want ye getting 'urt on yer first day back now do I?"

"Course…" Alex mumbled sitting down at her desk, not even acknowledging when Gene, Jack and Fiona left the office.

She initially, upon looking up from her desk was shocked at the empty office, but realised she could have time to think alone, with no-one fussing over her, and by anyone she meant Gene.

She suddenly had a realisation, the feeling washed over her like a tidal wave.

"Why haven't I let him in?" She thought, "We've both lost a baby. He must be feeling thee same as me."

"I've been so wrapped up in my own feelings that I've shut him out."

She got up from her desk and walked to Gene's office, closing the door behind her and pulling the blind down.

She sat on the floor behind his desk, crossed legged, the smell of his aftershave in the room made her smile to herself.

There she would wait for him to return, and it was where she would deliver her apology.

_**Two hours later…**_

Gene returned to C.I.D about 2hours later after an uneventful, successful arrest, expecting to find Alex looking bored sat at her desk, but upon setting eyes on her empty desk he began to worry.

"Where Alex?" he asked one of his colleges who were in the room when he had returned.

"Don't know Guv, thought she was with you."

"Find her!" he barked, entering his office, closing the door behind him.

"Gene?" a tiny voice whispered from behind his desk.

"Alex, is that you?" he asked peering over the desk to see her sat cradling the photo that took pride of place on Genes desk, of Leah and Olivia.

"I'm sorry Gene," she began looking at up at him, her brown eyes full of tears.

"Sorry for what?" he asked sitting down next to her, but afraid of putting his arm around her.

"For shutting you out," she sighed placing her head on hi shoulder, causing him to promptly pull her closer to him.

"I've been so selfish Gene, I mean you've been gong through the same and I haven't even asked you how you're coping. I'm sorry," she sobbed into his chest, leaving black mascara on his white shirt.

"I've been so worried about you Alex," Gene began, "You've been so quiet and depressed, and you being like that scares me Alex."

"Oh Gene, I would never dream of hurting myself, I love you and the girls so much, its you and them that's got me through the past few weeks."

"Really?" he asked surprised.

"Yes you stupid man, I love you more than ever." she gently kissed him before getting to her feet.

"Where you gong woman?" he asked, still sitting on the floor.

"My check up at the hospital, or had you forgotten?"

"No… I didn't forget…" he trailed

_**At the hospital…**_

"Well Mrs. Hunt, it looks as though you have made a complete recovery," the doctor smiled.

"Will we be able to… ye know?" Gene asked blushing with embarrassment.

"If you're careful," the doctor chuckled before leaving the room.

"Geennee, why did you have to go and ask THAT?" Alex asked also blushing with embarrassment.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed by Bolls, we are husband and wife."

"Why are you blushing then?" she teased,

"I am NOT BUSHING!" he replied, "But it is nothing to be embarrassed about though…"

"I know but…" she trailed

"Alex, you know how much I love you, and I can wait until you are ready." he replied brushing her cheek with his thumb, the same electricity that had always been there danced between them.

"I know, and you're my rock Gene, but even your love for me doesn't change the fact I don't feel like a woman any more, and the fact that I can't give you a son."

"I don't need a son Alex, I've got three gorgeous girls already," he replied softly.

"Three?" she replied looking confused.

"Yes you dozy mare, you and the girls," a smile crossed his face.

The doctor returned to the room just then,

"You're free to go home now," he smiled handing Alex a leaflet, which she took and placed in her bag.

Two minutes later they were sitting in the car,

"Do you think we could go away for a few days," Alex asked, "Just the two of us?"

"If that's what you want," Gene replied.

"We need it Gene, we need to sort out our marriage," she whispered, hardly believing what she had said.

"I know we do Bolls, the stress of the past few weeks needs to be put in the past and we need to concentrate on our future."

"Can we though?" she whispered, afraid to even think of what would happen if they couldn't sort things out.

"Don't say that Alex," he replied, his eyes telling her he was thinking the same as her.

"You promised me we would get through this Gene?" she sighed.

"And we will!" he replied bluntly.

_**A week later…**_

Gene and Alex had just dropped the girls at Luigi's where they would spend the next two days whilst Gene and Alex would spend some time together away from London.

"Where are we going?" Alex begged Gene, and she was beginning to regret letting Gene do all the planning for their weekend. She didn't have a clue where they were going as they now reached the outskirts of south-east London.

"I've already told you it's a surprise," he teased winking at her.

"Gene, you should know m by know, and that I don't like surprises." Even though she did, she was just desperate to know.

"Weesht woman, we'll be there in about an hour."

"Hmmph!" she slouched back into the seat, desperately trying to guess where they were heading by eagle eyeing every sign post they passed, until they eventually passed one that read; "Welcome To Portsmouth"

"Oh Gene, I've always wanted to come here, ever since I was little!" her eyes lighting up like a child's at Christmas.

He pulled the car to a stop out side a hotel right on the front, opposite The Common.

The sea matched the October skies, in a grey wash colour, so that it was hard to tell where the sea ended and the sky started.

Entering the hotel Gene headed toward the reception and stated, "Mr. Hunt, got a room booked for two nights."

"Welcome Mr and Mrs Hunt," the freckle faced boy behind the desk said, "Did you have a good journey?"

"Yes thanks," Alex replied.

"Please follow me to your room," a steward said, appearing from the room behind the desk, leading them up four flights of stairs to the very top of the building.

"Enjoy your stay!" the steward added before disappearing down the stairs.

Gene opened the door to reveal a very large room; with double bed and a small balcony that over looked the sea.

"Oh gene this is beautiful," she sighed, staring out the window at the sea, the aves crashing down around each other.

Wrapping his arms around her waist he whispered,

"So you think the start of winter' beautiful?"

"No," she laid her head back against his shoulder, "Just that you would do this to make me happy."

"You're worth it Bolls," he whispered, his breath tickling her neck, mixed with the smell of his aftershave sent tingles don her spine.

He gently kissed her neck.

"No Gene," she pulled away from him.

"Lets go and get something to eat and a drink," she said opening the door and stretching her arm out for him to take her hand.

"Have you ever been here before?" she asked,

"Once or twice," he replied, "I know a great little pub."

They turned right after leaving the hotel and walked hand in hand along the sae front, shivering with the cold.

About fifteen or twenty minutes later, they turned the corner to find a little pub called, "The Still and West,"

They sat at a table upstairs, overlooking the quay, where a cruise ship was docked.

"This is a beautiful view," she sighed.

There food was brought to them a while later, Gene had ordered a steak and chips and Alex had ordered a lasagne. There was a cruise ship just leaving the quay, passing directly by the pubs windows, so close that it felt as though to Alex as if there wasn't going to be enough room for it, before passing by out into the Solent.

After finishing their meals thy left "The Still and West" feeling relaxed.

Gene had his arm around her waist protectively, as she did the same to him.

Back at the hotel they relaxed in the bar with a drink each, talking mainly about what thy would get the girls for Christmas.

"Olivia would absolutely love Princess Barbie," Alex informed Gene, "An Leah will be happy with anything! She's like me"

"I know she is, Alex," he whispered, gazing at her brown eyes as they lit up as she spoke about her daughters.

"Come on then," she took his hand, leading him up the stairs to their room.

She ignored Gene touching her bum as they entered the room, heading straight to the bathroom

"You o.k. Bolls?" he called a few minutes later.

"I'll be two minutes," she called, "Sit on the bed an we'll talk when I come out."

A few minutes later, Gene got a shock when the bathroom door opened, and Alex was stood in it, dressed in a red silky nightdress, cut 5cm above her knees.

"Oh God, you are gorgeous Mrs. Hunt!" Gene exclaimed, as all the blood in his body headed south.

She walked sexily towards him.

"You sure Alex?" he asked just to be sure.

"Of course I am, why else did I buy this to bring." she spoke in her sultry tone, pushing him back onto the bed, rubbing her thighs over the hardness in his trousers.

Stopping suddenly, she asked,

"Have you…" Gene cut her off,

"Course I have, the doctors told us to be careful didn't they?"

He pulled her on top of him, kissing her passionately as their mouths crashed against each other; her hands were in his trousers as he moaned in pleasure, returning the favour so it was now her who was moaning with delight.

To Alex, it was like the first time they had slept together, she had never had an orgasm like it as she crashed down onto his chest, exhausted.

The next morning they awoke in each others arms, smiling at each other.

"It was lovely Gene," Alex smiled, "different from your usual style, more gentle."

"Wee I know you enjoyed it, so don't complain." he said leaning into kiss her.

"I didn't say I didn't enjoy it," she smiled, for the first time since the accident, it was a proper smile, it reached her eyes, as they sparkled in the dim light.

Gene knew at that moment that what he had promised her would be true. They would be o.k.

Or so he thought…

_**Well that's chapter 9 done and dusted, was a bit more cheery than the last few chapters, and I hope you have enjoyed it.**_

_**Chapter 10 is in progress, so at the moment please leave me some reviews to motivate me, and also I love getting reviews.**_

_**Thanks again for following this story!**_

_**Away to fire up my DVDs now!**_

_**Bye for now! xx**_


	10. Secrets and Lies?

_**Thank you to those that have read this story so far, those who left me reviews on the last chapter (supervixen, Celeste Martin, LouBelle04, wwedx, sash queen of the jungle, and the oofoof.) thanks to those of you from the great Ashes Facebook page as well for your support over the last week, as I had really bad writers block and was on the verge of giving up on this fic. Thanks guys! Xx**_

**Chapter 10 - Secrets and Lies**

A few weeks after their break in Portsmouth, Alex began to notice a change in Gene's behaviour. He seemed to be very secretive towards her, and was working a lot at night despite not having many cases on their books.

They hadn't had sex since that night in Portsmouth, and Alex was beginning to wonder if she was unattractive to Gene, with a scar on her stomach.

She had retreated into her shell again, back to her pre- Portsmouth behaviour, being exceptionally quiet, pretending to the girls that everything was o.k. when in fact her relationship with Gene was on rocky ground.

Alex had confined in her friend and colleague, Fiona about her feelings, especially now that Gene had been working every night until about 10pm, hardly taking an interest in his daughters, as though his mind was somewhere else.

"I just don't know what to say to him any more Fiona," Alex explained to Fiona one Thursday night.

"He HAS been acting strangely recently," Fiona agreed, "If you don't mind me asking is your… well you know still exciting?"

"The last time we had sex was in Portsmouth Fiona, but no it's not like it used to be." Alex replied.

"That was three weeks ago!" Fiona commented.

"I know and the most I've had since then is a bit of a cuddle."

"Oh Alex, we are women, we have our needs"

"But I don't feel like one Fiona…" Alex trailed.

"Is everything o.k. woman wise if you get my drift?" Fiona enquired.

"Well yes, except we might not be able to have any more children."

"You can always try," Fiona giggled, "more fun that way!"

"You're right!" Alex giggled in reply like a schoolgirl, "but he won't be near me Fiona, it's as if he's lost interest in me now."

"He's probably just worried that he'll hurt you Alex." Fiona suggested.

"Possibly…" Alex trailed thinking about Gene's strange behaviour.

"I'd better get headed," Fiona added, "It's getting late.

"I'll see you tomorrow at work." Alex smiled letting Fiona out the door.

Closing the door behind her, she checked on the girls, who were both sound asleep, tucked up to their necks, looking like little sleeping beauties.

She entered her and Gene's bedroom and began rummaging through a drawer, before finding what she was looking for, thinking to her self,

"If you're not going to make a move, I will!"

Gene parked the car outside the flat, finishing the contents of his hip flask and applying more of his aftershave to disguise the flowery smell that was on him.

He locked the car and entered the flat, checking on his daughters' en-route to his and Alex's own bedroom.

He opened the door and was met by the image of Alex standing in front of him, dressed in a nurse's outfit, complete with stockings and a stethoscope.

"Oh Lord!" he muttered closing the door behind him.

She stopped in front of him, placing the stethoscope over his heart.

She could hear through it, his heartbeat quicken, and his breathing become heavy.

"You seem to be ill," she spoke in her sultry tone, walking to the bathroom, swaying her hips.

"What's the diagnosis then nurse?" he asked following her into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

"Me!" she huffed, pulling him into her, her back against the door.

As their mouths crashed against each other, their moans increased.

Alex wrapped her legs around Gene's waist, his trousers around his ankles. She pulled him into her. Within minutes she could feel she was almost there. Kissing him hard to stop herself from screaming out she felt herself come as he felt himself come over and over again, groaning her name into her neck.

"Wow!" she huffed, her face pink and sweaty.

They fell asleep that night in each others arms, holding each other tightly, Alex thinking,

"Now I feel like a woman again."

The next afternoon Alex was sat at her desk at work, smiling to herself about the night before.

Gene came out of his office with his jacket on and asked her,

"What you smiling at Bolls?"

"Oh nothing!" she smiled at him.

"Right then, I'm away to sort something out!" he said to no one in particular.

"I'll come with you, I'm bored here," she added getting up.

"No, erm… You need to pick the girls up don't you?" he replied looking slightly shifty.

"Where re you going then?" she asked.

"I don't need to tell you everything do I?" he replied, "I'll be home late tonight; I'll need to come back here to pick up a few things."

"You're always coming home late now Gene, don't you care about your family anymore?" her voice was getting louder as the anger built inside her.

"Well I have to work extra if we want extra money for Christmas don't I?" he shouted back at her.

Every eye in the office was on them as they stood nose to nose with each other.

"Oh forget it Gene, run off and do what you need to do, I'll play the perfect wife and turn a blind eye to it!"

"Oh you will, will you? How am I meant to feel when my WIFE will hardly let me touch her?" he bellowed.

The room was silent, the tears in Alex's eyes were threatening to spill over her cheeks, so she made a run for the door, reaching it just as they spilled over her cheeks, heading straight for the ladies toilets, followed closely by Fiona, who said on passing Gene, " There was no need for that Guv!"

Gene couldn't believe he had just embarrassed Alex like that, but he couldn't go and apologise or he would be late for his appointment.

Jack noticing his shifty behaviour decided to follow him.

Gene left the station, but instead of going to his car he turned left and headed on foot towards the junction and then turned right.

He stopped at a newsagents and looked back; luckily Jack was quick and dived into a nearby alleyway.

Gene stayed where he was and about ten minutes later a red Ford stopped and Gene got into the car. Jack couldn't get a clear view of who was I the car, but found it suspicious that if Gene had somewhere to be why did he not take his own car?

Jack returned to the office to find Alex and Fiona having a cup of at, Alex still visibly upset by her argument with Gene.

"Did you see where he went?" Alex asked, her voice still trembling slightly.

"No sorry." Jack lied, "Lost him as he rounded the corner," not wanting to upset Alex any more.

"Thanks Jack," she smiled weakly.

Alex got up from her desk and entered the kitchen, leaving Jack alone with Fiona.

"Jack," Fiona whispered, "you did see where he went, didn't you?"

Jack nodded.

"Tell me Jack," Fiona replied.

Gene stood outside the newsagents where he had arranged to be picked up that day. He looked around to make sure no-one had followed him.

He hated having to do this, especially all the sneaking around he was doing. He had been doing this now for nearly three weeks now, since he and Alex had returned from Portsmouth.

The red Ford pulled up just then, Gene looking around again before opening the door and getting in, greeting the driver with a smile and a wink.

"Where today then?" he asked before the driver pulled the car away from the kerb and around the corner to the left.

Two hours later Gene was dropped off outside the station where he returned to his car to put on some aftershave and drink some whiskey to cover that flowery smell that was on him.

He felt sick at the thought of what he had been doing and even more sick at the thought of being found out.

He entered the empty office and sat at his desk, pulling the paperwork out of the envelope he had been carrying. He knew that it would have to be filled out sooner or later, or endure Alex finding out the truth about his behaviour before the time was right.

Jack had explained to Fiona what he had seen, and she agreed with him when he had said that they couldn't mention it to Alex until they knew more information.

"He just wouldn't do that to her surely?" Fiona asked Jack that night in Luigi's.

"I know what I saw Fiona, I could hardly believe it myself, but you were their, you saw their argument earlier."

"They have been having a tough time lately though…" Fiona trailed taking a sip of her wine.

"WE all know that Fiona, but they should be helping each other, not being at each others throats. Or sneaking around."

"You know, Alex told me last night that he's been working late a lot, which is funny because we don't have many cases going on at the moment, which makes your theory sound right."

"I know, I hate to think it myself, cause them two are just meant to be together," Jack sighed.

"I know…" Fiona blushed as her and Jacks eyes met across the table.

"If he goes out tomorrow I'll take a car and follow him, then we'll know for sure." Jack added.

"Alex will need us if our thoughts are right," Fiona said glancing at Jack.

"Yeah, and he'll have some serious answers to come up with!"

"I'll see you tomorrow," Fiona smiled a half smile.

"Well, good-night Fiona," Jack said getting up from the table, placing a kiss on her cheek as he passed.

The next morning Gene and Alex had arrived at the station after another heated argument, which had started when Alex had asked him in the car if he would be home for dinner that night, since the girls hadn't saw their dad all week. The argument had continued into the office, and it looked as though it could erupt again at any second.

Gene entered his office, picking up his phone to arrange another meeting for today, and he was lucky, he could be picked up in half an hour.

Hearing Gene say this, he winked to Fiona, letting her know that their plan to find out what was going on with Gene was on.

Half an hour later, Gene put his jacket on and left the office without saying good-bye to anyone, Alex watching him leave, a wave of sadness rolling over her, a look of sad distant love on her face.

Jack followed a few minute later, driving an undercover car around the corner to the newsagents in time to see Gene stepping into the same red Ford as he had got into the previous day.

Jack followed the car to the outskirts of London, about a fifteen minute drive from the station until the Ford stopped outside a large detached house on a tree lined street.

Jack couldn't believe it when Gene stepped out of the car, a huge smile on his face.

It was only then that Jack noticed that the driver had exited the car also.

The driver was about 5ft5, had blonde hair cut into a bob, and was a very beautiful looking woman, who was being followed by Gene into the house, Gene still having a huge smile across his face.

Jack sat and waited, he waited about an hour and a half before he saw Gene and the blonde woman exit the house, both had smiles on their faces.

Jack floored the car and got back to the station in ten minutes, grabbing Fiona's arm and pulling her into the kitchen.

"We were right, I hate to say it, but we were right," he said hurriedly.

"Who is she?" Fiona asked, shocked to her core that her and Jacks suspicion was right.

"Some blonde woman," he replied.

"BLONDE?" Fiona shouted, causing Alex to enter the kitchen.

"What are you two up to?" she asked in her suspicious motherly tone.

"Erm… nothing," Fiona lied, not making eye contact with Alex.

"What is it?" She stood at the kitchen door, arms crossed over her chest.

"We've something to tell you Ma'am," Jack said softly.

"What?" Alex asked, unaware of what she was about to be told.

Gene arrived back at the station about an hour later, after disguising the flowery perfume smell on him.

"Where's Alex?" he asked upon seeing her empty desk.

He didn't get an answer from either Jack or Fiona, who glanced at each other.

"Where is she Fiona? You and her are friends, so surely she told you where she as going?"

"She went home." she replied bluntly, not looking at Gene.

"Is she o.k.?" he asked, to which Fiona shrugged her shoulders, refusing to make conversation with this man after what he had done to her friend.

"O.k. then, I'll go home and find out for myself then!" he shouted leaving the office.

Gene opened the front door of the flat to find a pile of his clothes in the hall.

"Alex?" he called.

"You complete and utter BASTARD!" she came out of their bedroom and slapped him around the face with so much force there was a clear red mark where her hand had made contact with his face.

"What the hell are you on about woman?" he asked.

"Who is she Gene? Who's the Slapper you've been shagging" she screamed.

"Alex…" he was cut of by her,

"Don't you dare Alex me!" she shouted.

"Would you just listen woman!" he grabbed her wrists to stop her from hitting his chest, tears streaming down her face so hard, she was beginning to find it difficult to breathe.

"Let me explain…"

_**Well that's chapter 10 - I really hope people don't hate me for coming up with this idea, it jumped into my head and I had to include it at this point.**_

_**Please review and let me know what you think. **_

_**Don't worry chapter eleven is almost finished so you won't have to wait too long for Gene's explanation…**_

_**Enjoy for now! xx**_


	11. Savings from a Rainy Day

_**Thank you for the lovely reviews from chapter ten, I have had a few people asking me to get this chapter up quickly to put their minds at ease over the way I left the last chapter, so here you are. I hope that it answers questions left by the last chapter and it will also answer a few more, it does jump a little bit but I will clearly mark it where it does. Hope you enjoy, and please review and let me know your thoughts. Even criticise me - I can take it!**_

**Chapter 11 - Savings from a Rainy Day**

"Explain what GENE?" she fumed pulling away from his grasp, and marching into their bedroom pulling more of his clothes out of the cupboard and onto the floor.

"While I've been here with OUR children, you've been off shagging another woman!"

"It's not like that Alex…" gain Alex had cut him off.

"Then what is it like then Gene?" she shouted, "and don't you dare stand there and lie to me telling me it's nothing!" she screamed, "How long has it been going on for? I bet it was after the accident you smarmy GIT. After I couldn't…"

"Would you just shut up and listen for a minute!" he bellowed.

Jack and Fiona had followed Gene home after he had left the station; fully aware of what he would be going home to after Alex had let the station both angry and upset.

"What do you think she'll do?" Jack asked Fiona as they sat outside Gene and Alex's flat in his car.

"I don't know," Fiona whispered, "If it was me I'd kick him out."

"But it' not you Fiona it's Alex."

"I know, but she's a strong willed woman and I don't think she'll put up with him treating her like that."

"Do you think he'll try and defend himself?" Jack asked,

"He'd better not!" Fiona replied staring up at the flat windows.

"We'll need to be there for her," Fiona smiled weakly.

In response to which Jack placed a comforting hand on top of hers to which Fiona squeezed slightly before smiling at Jack who replied,

"We'll help her together."

A window which was open in the flat allowed Jack and Fiona to hear the argument, and although muffled they could hear Gene shout, "Would you just shut up and listen for a minute and listen!"

"What?" Alex asked a few minutes later, totally and utterly shocked at what Gene had just told her.

"Prove it Gene, prove to me you're telling the truth," she yelled, still visibly shaking.

"Bolly, when have I ever lied to you?" his voice calm.

"Well…" she trailed, trying to think, "never…" she whispered, "but that doesn't mean that you're telling me the truth now."

Just then a knock at the door interrupted them; Alex turned her back on Gene to answer it, to find Jack and Fiona on the other side of it.

"You o.k.?" Fiona asked giving Alex a hug, concerned by the puffiness of Alex's eyes.

"Yeah thanks Fiona," Alex smiled weakly.

"Who is it?" Gene appeared behind Alex, "Oh you two!"

"So what lie did you tell her for her not to have chucked you out by now?" Fiona asked "She deserved to know what you've been up to, how long has it been going on Guv?" Jack asked, "How long have you been feeding her lies.

"For the last time I AM NOT LYING!" Genes bellowed.

"You two had better come in," Alex sighed holding the door open for Jack and Fiona to enter.

"You're staying with him? Aren't you?" Fiona asked Alex upon entering the flat.

"Just come in and we'll tell you what's happening" Alex's eyes were still pink and puffy from the crying she had done.

Taking a seat on the sofa next to each other, Jack and Fiona glanced from Gene to Alex and back to Gene again, their rage obvious from the tension in the room, especially towards Gene.

"You can tell them," Alex nudged Gene in the ribs, "It's your fault anyway for keeping this a secret for as long."

"I know…" he sighed.

"I followed you with that woman earlier," Jack raged, "how could you to that to Alex?"

"I haven't been doing anything Jack, that woman you saw me with was Pauline, she's an estate agent."

"Why do you need an estate agent?" Fiona asked looking confused.

"Well…" Gene trailed, "That house I was at earlier, well I've bought it; she was showing me around it again before I handed the paperwork over to her."

"Is that why you've been acting strangely then?" Jack asked as a wash of relief washed over him.

"Have I?" Gene asked, looking at Alex.

"I thought you… I Thought that…you were…" she choked back the last words unable to belive that she had actually thought that Gene would be cheating on her.

"How could I?" He asked, slipping a hand around her neck, his blue eyes sparking in her brown ones, "when I'm totally and utterly besotted and in love with you?"

He placed a light but tender kiss on her lips.

"So that's what all the secrecy was about then?" Jack asked.

"Oh bugger off you two," Gene said sternly to Fiona and Jack,

"Me and the missus are going to spend some quality time ALONE!"

The next day Gene took Alex to the house they would be moving into in a few weeks.

It was situated on a quiet tree lined street, there was children playing in every garden, wrapped up in scarf's and hats.

"Ooh, the girls will love this street, there's loads of children for them to play with," Alex sighed looking out the car window, a smile crossing her face.

Gene pulled the car into the driveway of a large detached house.

"Gene?" Alex whispered in shock.

"What do you think then?" he asked unable to read the expression on Alex's face.

"How can you even afford a house of this size?"

"Well you know me, I've had savings from years back, and now just seems the right time for me to spend them on the ones I love, fresh start and all…"

Gene opened the front door to reveal the house's beauty.

Alex hadn't noticed it till now, but the house was a traditional old style, which made her feel warm and fuzzy.

There were real wooden beams along the ceiling, and real wood floors, which by the look of them had recently been refurbished, a seal had been put across them.

There was a real fire in the living room, enclosed by a fireguard.

Moving through to the kitchen, the kitchen had a country feel to it, with big sinks and lots of storage space.

"Oh Gene," Alex gasped, "how did you mange to find a place like this?"

"I thought of you, and knew you would love it," he smiled placing an arm around her waist.

"It's like a country house in the city!" she smiled.

"You haven't seen upstairs yet," he smiled, taking her hand and leading her up the stairs.

When they reached the landing, Gene grabbed Alex from behind, covering her eyes with his hand.

"Gene-what?"

"I need to show you something," he whispered into her ear.

"Then you can remove your hands from my eyes then, how else am I meant to see?" she giggled as Gene led her along the landing.

He pushed open the door at the end of the hall and released Alex's eyes.

There was that split second that there was deafening silence, until Alex spoke,

"It's beautiful Gene," she breathed.

The bedroom had wooden beams on the ceiling, and a real fire which this time wasn't enclosed. There was a traditional four poster bed on one wall, and opposite it there was an en-suite bathroom,

"The bed comes with the house, by-the-way," he smiled leaving the room and turning right.

There was another three bedrooms of a fair size; two were definitely doubles and the other as ingle. There was a good size family bathroom as well.

"Gene, it's perfect, it's what I've always dreamed of," she sighed placing hand on his chest.

"So I take it you like it then." He asked hugging her tightly.

"No." she said.

"Hat, but you've just…" he looked confused.

"I don't like it Gene, I LOVE it!" she smiled, "It's perfect for us!"

"Look I'm sorry I didn't discuss it with you Bolls, and I'm also sorry that you thought I was…"

"It doesn't matter Gene, what matters is us, and our girls.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes really" She smiled, "now when can we move in?

_**Six weeks later…**_

It was the day of the move, the day they would move their lives from this pokey little flat to their new large house.

It was the start of December and the weather was bright and crisp.

The flat was all packed up, their lives from the past five years packed up in boxes that were stacked around the rooms.

The only things still to be packed were the kettle, the toaster and their bed sheets.

After breakfast that morning, Alex packed up the remainder of their possessions and stared out the kitchen window. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around her waist, holding her tightly.

"I'm going to miss this place," she sighed, "So many happy memories, Leah's first steps… Olivia's first steps…"

"I know… I know…" he whispered, "We've always got those memories to recall, but this move is fresh start for all of us Bolls."

"Oh god, I love you Gene," she sighed.

Half an hour later the removal van was parked downstairs, and Gene and Alex began lifting the boxes containing their lives down the stairs to the van with the help of Jack and Fiona who had arrive a few minutes earlier.

Two hours later the flat was empty, Leah and Olivia were strapped into the car downstairs waiting, on their parents locking up their first house for the last time.

"The flat seems that big without all our things, so big and empty," she sighed.

" I know," he whispered into her neck, his arms around her waist.

"Leah took her first steps over there," she smiled pointing at a spot on the carpet,

"And Olivia there," she pointed at another spot.

"We need to go now Alex," he whispered gently, leading her out of what was their living room by the waist.

"She eventually feels health again," he thought to himself, "not just skin and bone."

"Alex, what's wrong?" he asked noticing Alex's eyes glazing over,

"Just sad, but happy that we need to move on from here," she sighed as Gene guided her out of the front door for the final time. Gene turned the key in the lock for the last time, before he and Alex headed down the stairs to the car, and start on a new journey with their girls, a fresh start for them all.

It was 8pm that night before Gene and Alex managed to sit down again. After arriving at the house, they began the tedious job of unpacking box after box of their belongings.

Alex had the job of lifting the girls thing upstairs, box after box of clothes, and toys, whilst Gene had the heavy job of sorting the fridge, washing machine and tumble dryer.

There was a lot still to be done but the house that was empty earlier in the day was beginning to look and feel more like home.

"Right girls, bedtime," Alex announced.

"Awww Mum!" they chorused together.

Gene lifted Leah, whilst Alex lifted Olivia, carrying them upstairs to show them their new bedrooms.

"That's not fair! Leah's got a bigger room than me!" Olivia shouted two minute later.

"I have not" Leah shouted back at her sister.

HAVE SO!" Olivia stomped away pushing Leah over as she passed.

"OLIVIA HUNT!" Alex shouted in her stern voice, "Say sorry to your sister!"

"NO!" Olivia stomped her feet, crossing her arms, her top lip pouted.

"Olivia!" Gene warned, "Say sorry!"

"Sorry Leah…" She whispered, her top lip trembling.

"I think there's two tired little girls who need their beds," Alex smiled, picking Olivia up again carrying her to her new bedroom.

"Get into bed Leah and I'll be back in a minute to tuck you in,"

As soon as Olivia's head hit the pillow she was sound asleep.

"For someone who wasn't tired, she sure fell asleep quickly," Gene smiled, closing Olivia's room door, leaving it open just a crack.

Entering Leah's room they noticed immediately that she was already sound asleep as well, cuddling into her pink teddy that she had since she was born.

"It's been a long day for them Gene," she whispered as he closed Leah's door, also leaving it open a crack.

"For them and us both, I'm shattered," Alex managed through a yawn.

"Lets open that bottle we brought with us, we deserve a drink tonight," he smiled as they headed down the stairs.

An hour or so later, Alex had polished off her second glass of wine, Gene had finished the rest of the bottle, and they were now headed upstairs to go to bed.

Alex slipped into one of her skimpy night dresses, whilst Gene slipped into a pair of pyjama bottoms.

"Warm the bed up for me, I'll be back in a minute," she smiled as she headed for the bathroom.

"Well hurry up woman and we can warm it together," he smiled as he got into the bed.

He lay in the middle of the bed, covers hunched around his waist, his bare chest on view.

Ten minutes later when Alex still hadn't came out the bathroom, Gene began to worry, so got out from between the warm covers and knocked on the bathroom door, calling through the crack,

"Alex, are you o.k.'?"

"Not really…" she replied in a tiny voice.

Gene opened the door worried by her response, to find her sitting on the toilet seat.

Upon seeing him enter the bathroom she handed him what she had been staring at for the past ten minutes.

The white stick she had just handed Gene had two blue lines down the middle of the little window.

"I'm pregnant Gene." she whispered as tears filled her eyes, at the same time Gene's look of confusion changed to happiness as he dropped the positive pregnancy test wrapping Alex in his arms, kissing her softly.

"Oh Gene, I thought it would never happen again," she smiled as he kissed her neck.

"God, Alex you were lifting those boxes earlier, I'm taking you to the doctors Monday morning to get checked. No point taking risks."

"Oh God, I had that wine earlier," she suddenly remembered, putting a hand to her mouth.

"Right you're definitely going to the doctors then!" he said pulling her close to him as they lay in bed.

"You know I was beginning to think that you were a bit healthier round the middle," he laughed.

"Well I've got an excuse for eating more of Luigi's macaroni, now that I'm eating for two!" she giggled in response.

"C'mere," he huffed pulling her even closer to him, wrapping his arms around her, his hands over her stomach.

Alex placed her own hands on top of his protectively; drifting off to sleep at the thought they were going to be parents again.

_**Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope that all questions raised from the last chapter were answered. Please review and let me know if you want more of this story, because I have a few ideas where to take it but your feedback first would be very helpful.**_

_**Thanks again for reading!**_


	12. 9 Weeks

**Chapter 12 - 9 Weeks**

_Thank you for the lovely reviews on the last chapter, thanks to: Celeste Martin, wwedx, superrvixen, sash queen of the juggle, theoofoof and of course every one of the constructs from Facebook._

_**Sorry if my calculations on Alex's age are off, it probably is!**_

It was 11am on Monday morning, and after dropping Leah at school and Olivia at nursery, Gene and Alex were sitting in the doctor's surgery waiting for their name to be called. Gene was sitting tapping his fingers on his knee nervously while Alex watched him, finding it highly entertaining.

"You weren't this nervous when I was pregnant with Leah or Olivia."

"That was different, that was before…" he trailed, "well we're both a bit older now than we were then!"

"We are NOT old Gene, I'm only 38 years old, how is that old?"

"It's not," Gene replied, but isn't there more of a risk in woman over 35?"

"I'm healthy, and we'll worry about that when we have to," she spoke firmly, "for now we need this confirmed."

Gene knew not to dare answer back, especially with a pregnant woman whose hormones were at higher levels than normal.

"Mr and Mrs Hunt," the doctor called from the door.

In the office, Alex had explained to the doctor that she had discovered her pregnancy the night before.

"The thing is Doc, she was lifting heavy boxes the other day when we moved into our new house," Gene added sounding concerned.

"We'll given your circumstances I'll send you upstairs for an ultra sound, just to check things out, and also to confirm how far along you are." the doctor smiled, "You'll also need regular check up's because of your surgery earlier in the year."

"Of course Doctor," Alex smiled, taking the slip of paper off the doctor for her ultra sound upstairs.

"Two glasses of wine won't do any damage will it?" Gene asked, remembering the wine from the other night.

"I highly doubt it Mr. Hunt," the doctor replied, "but no wine from now on!"

"I wasn't planning on drinking any more wine," Alex smiled.

"All the more for me then!" Gene laughed as he and Alex left the room to head upstairs.

_**Upstairs…**_

Gene and Alex had just been called into the room by the mid-wife and Alex was now lying on the bed, her t-shirt lifted so that she could be examined.

"I never thought we'd see the day again," Alex sighed taking Gene's hand in hers.

"Me neither Bolls, me neither,"

The mid-wife squeezed some of the cold gel onto Alex's stomach, causing her to squirm.

"Sorry," the mid-wife smiled.

The mid-wife moved the instrument across the bottom of Alex's stomach, frowning as she did so.

"Is something wrong?" Gene asked concerned by the look on the mid-wife's face.

"There you are," she smiled, "The little one as hiding." she smiled turning the screen towards Gene and Alex, who smiled at the peanut shaped blob on the screen.

"I'd estimate about 9weeks pregnant."

"Portsmouth…" Alex whispered.

"Congratulations," the mid-wife smiled, "I'll leave you two alone for a minute.

The mid-wife left the room leaving Gene and Alex alone.

"Portsmouth Gene," Alex whispered again,

"What?" Gene asked,

"It was Portsmouth Gene, where we got pregnant." she smiled, remembering the night in question.

"But we…" Gene added,

"They're not always 100% affective Gene." Alex replied.

"Oh I don't care about that, we're pregnant!" he said, a huge smile spreading across his face, from one ear to the other.

"The only sound in the room was the sound of the foetal heart monitor around Alex's stomach.

"It's real Gene, it's actually real. I thought it was all in my head, what with my age and everything that's happened…" she was cut off as the heart monitor suddenly made a strange sound.

"Something's wrong," she realised, her parental instincts kicking in, Gene was at the door quicker than Alex had time to blink.

"Excuse me!" he shouted up the corridor to the desk where the mid-wife was standing, "Something's wrong the monitor things making a noise."

In a flash, the podgy little mid-wife was back in the room.

"That machine thing made a weird sound," Gene informed pointing at the heart monitor that was across Alex's stomach.

"Lets just check that out," the mid-wife again moved the instrument across Alex's stomach.

"Hmmm…" she hummed, "Interesting…"

"Well?" Alex asked, getting impatient by the mid-wife's behaviour.

"Well Mr. and Mrs. Hunt everything appears to be fine." she smiled, "More than fine actually."

"Good then!" Gene said taking Alex's hand.

"There two heartbeats," the mid-wife smiled.

"What?" Alex asked dumbfounded.

"Well they'd had better be, she's having a baby, would be worried if she didn't have a heart beat." Gene replied, not actually realising the news.

"Do you want to tell him or should I?" Alex smiled at the mid-wife.

"I'll let you," she smiled back.

"Gene," Alex began, "that isn't my heartbeat. Its twins Gene. Twins."

Gene just stared at Alex; unable to process the information he had just been given.

"Gene?" Alex asked waving a hand in front of his face, "Hello!"

"W-What?" he asked, obviously still in shock.

"You're sure?" Alex asked turning to face the mid-wife.

"Absolutely!"

"Thank-you!" Alex smiled sitting up.

"We'll see you in three weeks for a check up." the mid-wife added before leaving the room.

"Twins?" Gene asked back at the car. "Twins?"

"Yes Gene twins!" Alex replied, obviously not as shocked by the news as Gene clearly was.

"But twins…" he trailed, "God, how will I cope, I was bad enough with Leah and Olivia

When they were babies and that was one at a time, how the bloody hell am I going to cope with two lots of everything. Two lots of shitty nappies, two lots of bottles!"

"Gene stop panicking, we'll be fine," Alex reassured, "YOU'LL be fine.

"You sure of that Bolls?" he asked, his voice becoming quiet.

"Oh Gene," she sighed, "Of course I am. You are a superb father already, and you'll continue to be a fantastic father to these two little ones in here as well, she smiled warmly at him, she had the glow of a pregnant woman, taking his hand and pacing it on her stomach.

"It's only because of you Bolls," he smiled, "You make me what I am, without you I'd be a worthless piece of shit!"

"Oh stop putting yourself down Gene, I know you and I know you'll be fine."

Gene wasn't worried about becoming a father again, in fact he was looking forward to it, and he loved nothing more than holding his tiny child minutes after it had entered the world, knowing that he would be able to protect the tiny person from harm. He had felt this way ever since holding Leah after she was born and knew that despite his doubts he was willing to die for his children, something that brought back painful memories, but memories that belonged in the past.

All that mattered now was Alex, his two daughters and the twins that were being carried by the woman he loved.

He wouldn't become that man. He couldn't.

_**O.k. shorter chapter, but I thought it was important to get this bit in about Gene at this point.**_

_**There is still a lot of unanswered questions bout Gene and the turmoil he has been suffering.**_

_**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, chapter 13 to follow soon, with some lovely fluffy family bits. In the mean time please review, as it makes me smile knowing that you are enjoying this story. (And I enjoy getting your feed back as well!" **_

_**Bye for now! xx**_


	13. Making a ListChecking it Twice

_**Thank-you for those of you who reviewed the last chapter, sash queen of the jungle, theoffoff, supervixen, littlelostlauraa and Celeste Martin - I love getting your reviews because it makes me smile knowing that others are enjoying this story as much as I am writing it.**_

_**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

**Chapter 13 - Snowfall**

"_Just leave me alone. Please." the boy begged, "I never done it!"_

"_Who was it then?" a mans voice bellowed._

"_It was Richard," the boy whimpered, curling into a ball in the corner._

"_Don't lie tome you little bastard!"_

_The man's belt hit the boy's back with great force._

_The boy had learned never to cry out as it would only encourage another slap from the belt to toughen him up._

_A woman's voice emerged from the background crying, "Oh just leave him alone Richard, he's only a child."_

"_Shut up you slag!" the man slap the woman across the face and she fell to the floor clutching her face, blood coming out of her mouth, caused by the force of the hand on her face._

"STOP!" Gene sat bolt upright in bed, sweat trickling down his face.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked sitting up herself.

"Uhh… nothing," he lied, pulling her into a hug.

"Another dream?" she whispered to him soothingly.

"Yeah…" he replied.

"What of this time?" she asked, hoping that he would be able to recall this time after so many sleepless nights over the past few weeks she was starting to worry about him.

"You'd better go back to sleep Alex, you need your rest."

"Only if you go back to sleep as well," knowing too well that he wouldn't manage to get back to sleep that night.

"We've got a long day tomorrow," he smiled through the darkness.

"And the girls won't help; they'll be hyper all day." Alex replied.

"You got enough food in?" Gene asked.

"Considering I'm only feeding four adults and two children, and we've got enough food downstairs to feed the army? Yeah I think we've got enough food in." she giggled, "Now stop worrying and go back to sleep Gene."

But Gene couldn't go back to sleep; he was too afraid that he would start dreaming again.

Alex woke the next morning to find that it was nearly 11am and Gene was already awake and downstairs with the girls watching, "Santa Claus - The Movie"

"Morning," Alex called into the living room.

"Sshh Mum, the boys just been kidnapped by the bad man, and the girls just sent a letter to Santa to come and save him!" Leah said not taking her eyes off the television.

"Oh right," Alex whispered, sitting down on the couch beside Gene, who placed an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll need to go our and get a few last minute presents," he whispered, "will you be o.k. with these two whilst I'm out?"

"Course I will," she replied with a smile.

"Do you two girls fancy making cookies for Santa tonight?"

"Yeahh!" Olivia clapped her hands joyfully.

"Mummy?" Olivia asked, looking from the television to the fire place which was crackling away, the orange embers dancing away, "Will you put the fire off tonight, so Santa doesn't burn his bum when he comes down the chimney?"

"He wont burn his bum," Leah informed her "You saw it yourself, he has a magic nose!"

Smiling lovingly at his girls Gene spoke up, "Will you two behave for your mum whilst I go out for a while? Standing up stretching.

"Whyyy?" they both chorused.

"Or I'll phone Santa!" he replied without thinking.

Leah and Olivia just stared at him, their little blue eyes filling with tears.

"Gene!" Alex scolded.

"I'm only joking, you two girls are on the good list, so Santa will definitely be stopping at this house," Gene smiled, kneeling down to hug his two daughters.

"Yeah!" they both chorused, abandoning the movie for the kitchen.

"Hurry up mum," Leah shouted, "we don't have all day!"

"She's exactly like you!" Gene laughed, pulling on his black coat and putting on his gloves.

"I'll be home for around three o'clock," Gene said before placing a light kiss on Alex's lips.

"I'll see you later," she smiled, watching him leave the house, "Love you."

Gene only had one present to get, his present for Alex that he had ordered a few weeks previously, he had to now pick it up. He knew when he had set eyes on it that it was perfect for her, especially after he had almost lost her, and then being told that she may not be able to bear any more children, and then the surprise, unplanned pregnancy.

It had cost him almost a month's wages for it, but he couldn't care less if it had cost him a year's wages, because she was worth it.

"Ah, Mr. Hunt, I was wondering when I was going to see you. Your gift is simply splendid, a unique gift that your wife will adore." the old man behind the counter smiled.

"It's Christmas Eve James, I thought you'd b busier than this," Gene glanced around the shop, there was only a few other customers in the shop, two of whom were at one end of the room, the other had his back to Gene at the other end of the shop.

"I was busy yesterday," the old man smiled, "I'm hoping to get home early today.

"Here you are," the old man handed Gene the gift, which was perfectly gift wrapped with red paper.

"I hope your wife likes it." the old man smiled.

"She'd had better, its cost me enough," Gene smiled, "Nah I'm only kidding, I know she'll love it."

"Happy Christmas," Gene took the bag off the old man and left the shop, the little bell above the door chimed as he left.

"Can I help you?" the old man asked the man who's back had been to Gene.

"Whew…" he sighed; thank goodness he didn't see me! He'd never let me hear the end of it."

"Who?" the old man asked, "Mr. Hunt?"

"Yes." the man replied, "He's my boss!"

"Olivia, be careful with that bowl of flour!" Alex cried from one end of the room, as Olivia attempted to lift a bowl of flour off the table.

Alex managed to grab the bowl before it slipped from Olivia's hands.

"Oops… sorry." Olivia whispered in a tiny voice.

"You need to be more careful sweetheart, what if the bowl had spilled?"

"Sorry…" Olivia whispered again.

"Oh its o.k.," Alex hushed, hugging her youngest daughter, "Lets see if we can get them ready for daddy coming home!"

"Yeah!" the sisters chorused together.

Ten minutes later, Alex carefully put the cookies in the oven, and began washing up the

Dirty bowls and spoons, and another twenty minutes later the kitchen smelled of baking cookies.

"Mmm," Leah sighed, "They smell good!"

"They do, don't they!" Alex agreed, "Lets see if they're ready.

Leah and Olivia stood back from the oven as Alex carefully removed the golden cookies from the oven. One tray, which had been crafted by Olivia were lop sided blobs, and the other tray of Leah's were perfectly round in shape with a light golden brown top.

"We'll leave them to cool, then you can decorate them" Alex informed.

They had been so busy bustling around that no-one had noticed. It was only when Alex went to the sink that she noticed.

"Ohhhh! Look girls it's snowing!" Alex announced.

"Let me see!" the girls ran to the living room so they could see out the window.

There was a light dusting of snow over the front garden, as if someone had thrown a bag of flour over it, the crystals glistened as the light bounced off it, the snowflakes fell silently from the grey skies, each one adding to the flour effect in the garden, getting bigger and thicker by the minute.

"Oh can we go out and play?" Olivia asked her little blue eyes alive with excitement.

"What about your cookies?" Alex replied.

"They don't really need to be iced do they mum?" Leah asked, hands on her hips, lips set in a pout.

"Oh I suppose not," Alex smiled.

"Well can we go out and play then? Leah asked.

"Oh I suppose so, go and get your hats, scarf's, gloves and jackets."

The girls hadn't given Alex a chance to finish her sentence; they were already at the top of the stairs, excitement taking over them.

Gene returned to the car about an hour later, Alex's gift was now in his inside pocket, he could feel the box against his chest. In the boot of the car was another two bags of extra presents for his girls, he had past a little toy shop that had teddy bears on display in the window and he couldn't resist them, knowing that his two little girls would love them.

He had noticed that the snow was getting heavier and thicker, the roads were fast disappearing in front of him, the wheels spun uncontrollably as he pushed the brake pedal.

"Jesus…" he gritted his teeth, his grip on the steering wheel intensifying, as the window wipers moved a full speed across the windscreen, wiping the snow away for a matter of seconds at a time.

The roads became increasingly treacherous as Gene edged the car off the main road onto the quieter one that would take him home. Five minutes onto the road the wheels stuck. He pressed the accelerator, but the back wheels spun uncontrollably.

"Come on!" Gene urged the car to move, but with no prevail.

Looking at the petrol gauge, he saw that it was fine, but the car suddenly stopped shuddering beneath him. The battery was dead. He was stuck.

"BASTARD!" he shouted, his voice echoed around the car and out into the deserted road.

"Girls time to come in!" Alex shouted from the front door, a long black cardigan wrapped around her tightly.

"Awww, another five minutes please mum!" Leah called back.

"NO!" Alex shouted back, you've already had an extra hour. In NOW!"

The two little girls sulked their way to the front door, kicking the snow off their boots before stepping into the warmth of the house. Alex unwrapped their layers of clothes, hanging up their wet hats, scarf's, gloves and jackets up to dry.

"Where's daddy?" Olivia asked.

"He went into town, remember?" Alex replied.

"That was ages ago!" Leah added, "He's probably went to the pub!"

"No he hasn't!" Alex scolded, a shiver running down her spine.

"Can we put the radio on and listen to Christmas songs?" Leah asked,

"Course we can," Alex smiled pressing the on button, and instantly the kitchen was filled with the sound of "Little Drummer Boy," with Davis Bowie.

"Rump-pa-pa-pum," Leah sang along with the song till its end, Alex staring out the window at the massive flaked that were now falling fast and furiously. When the song ended, the usual programme was interrupted by a travel report,

"_This sudden deluge of snow has caused numerous accidents, especially on the outskirts of London, where we are sadly getting reports of some fatalities."_

"Mummy-" Olivia started,

"Sshh…" Alex hushed her to hear the rest of the report,

"_We urge you only to travel if absolutely essential, and if you do have to travel, please use your lights and PLEASE be careful out there."_

The report ended and "I Wish it could be Christmas Everyday," by Wizard blasted from the speakers.

"Can we have hot chocolate?" Olivia asked,

"Yes," Alex went into auto- pilot, making hot chocolate for her girls, sitting them in front of the fire, before moving to the window seat, again staring out at the snowflakes falling through the glass window, running a hand along her slightly swollen stomach, sighing to herself, "Oh Gene, where are you?" swallowing the lump that had appeared in her throat.

Gene had very little patience for his car now; it had never failed him - until now. It had failed him at the worse possible time, and he had no option but to get out and walk. He knew he wasn't that far from home, but light was beginning to fade quickly, and Gene was exceptionally tired after his dream the previous night, so he knew that this would make the rest of his journey home all the more difficult.

"Stupid bastard, son of a bitch," he hit the steering wheel repeatedly, catching the horn which blasted into the whiteness outside.

Grumbling, he got out of the car, retrieving the shopping bags from the boot, and headed slowly forward, along the road, head down, glancing up occasionally to see where he was going, the snow still falling hard, through the ever quickening darkening of the skies.

Gene looked up, disorientated by the sudden feeling of snow in his eyes, the coldness of the impact burning his eyes. He felt as though he had been walking for hours, when he stumbled in the snow, dropping the shopping bags as he tumbled forward into a mound of snow**…**

_**Thanks for reading chapter 13 - I hope you have enjoyed it, and yes, I am hoping to update soon, as I know there will be a lot of you desperate to know what is going to happen to Gene. In the mean time please leave your reviews of what you thought!**_

_**Thanks! Lesa xx**_


	14. New Beginings

_**Thank you so much to those of you have stayed with his story and reviewed it after reading it - you really don't know how much it means to me knowing that others are enjoying this story, as I have swayed a bit from my original story plan, but it will go back there eventually! Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 14 - "New Beginnings"**

"Mum!" Leah moaned, "We're hungry!"

"Oh stop it Leah!" Alex snapped her head around to Leah, "Just behave!"

"But…" Leah pouted, "Its five o'clock mummy, what are we having for dinner?"

"Not right now Leah, I'm worried about your father!"

"He'll be in the pub mum!" Leah replied.

"He's not…" Alex trailed, her eyes tracing up and down the street for any movement that might be him, or his car, whilst thinking to herself,

"If he is in the pub, god help him when I get my hands on him!"

To take her mind off worrying bout Gene, Alex prepared macaroni cheese for the girls, not having any herself, before returning to her window seat to resume her watch for Gene.

Alex was fast becoming fatigued, her eyes were beginning to play tricks on her, the darkness outside began producing shadows, every one Alex thought was Gene, but none ever were.

"Mummy?" Olivia asked sitting next to Alex, "Where's daddy?"

"I don't know sweetheart," Alex replied, pulling Olivia into her lap, gently stroking her sandy blonde hair.

"He'll be o.k. mum," Leah added, also sitting down next to her mum, Alex pulling her into a hug as well, stoking her brown curls, a tear falling from her eyelashes, rolling down her face and off the end of her nose.

"Don't cry Mum," Leah hushed, "It's Christmas."

Just then the front door opened and all three of them ran for the door, to see Gene frame the door, two carrier bags in his hands, his face a blue/purple colour from the cold, he dropped the two bags and fell to his knees, weak from the bitter cold outside.

"DADDY!" Leah and Olivia screamed.

"Oh God, Gene," Alex was knelt at his side faster than Gene had time to blink.

"Girls, upstairs- NOW!" Alex demanded, to which the two scared two little girls obeyed, Leah taking her sisters hand leading her upstairs.

Alex helped Gene to his feet and into the living room, helping him sit down in front of the fire, taking off his wet jacket and wet clothes, before holding him close to her.

"Bolls…"

"If the blood from your arms and legs rush back to your heart too quickly, you could…" she croaked.

"Oh Bolls, I'm sorry," he croaked, "the car… it…"

"Sshh…" she hushed, it doesn't matter.

"Leah!" Alex called, "Bring me down daddy's pyjamas and his house coat!"

"What?" Leah yelled, "Daddy has a housecoat?" she shouted in surprise.

"Behind the door!" Alex shouted back.

"Would you stop fussing woman?" Gene sat up and looked at Alex who was chalk white.

"No!" Alex replied, "You're almost frozen to death!"

"I'm fine, all I need is a cup of tea and some Garibaldi's" Gene replied.

"You can have the tea, but you need soup to heat you up, some oxtail soup I think!" she smiled at him, standing up and walking to the foot of the stairs where Leah was stood with Gene's pyjamas and housecoat.

"Is dad o.k.?" she asked her little face also chalk white with fear.

"He'll be fine!" Alex replied, taking the pyjamas from Leah.

"Here," she dropped the pyjamas into Genes lap, "put these on and I'll get your tea."

A few minutes later Alex returned to the living room with a mug of tea for Gene.

"I'm famished, what's for dinner?" he asked from his spot on the floor in his pyjamas.

"Me and the girls had something earlier," Alex lied partially.

"You never had anything mum," Leah said from behind Alex, making her way over to Gene, sitting down at one side of him, Olivia at the other.

"What?" Gene asked his blue eyes boring into Alex, awash with a mixture of anger and worry.

"You need to eat Alex, what are you trying to do woman?"

"Well I couldn't eat!" Alex shouted back, "for worrying about you, the news said there were accidents… and then you didn't come home!" Alex was hysterical now.

"Stop shouting!" Leah butted in.

"You need to eat properly, the doctor said that!" Gene protested, "now that you're eating for three!"

"Gene!" Alex stopped him, and glanced from him to their daughters.

"What does daddy mean you're eating for three mummy?" Leah's inquisitive eyes burned.

"Well…" Alex glanced at Gene who nodded in agreement.

"Mummy has two babies in her tummy."

"Like before, with the baby the doctors took away?" Leah asked,

"Not quite," Alex smiled.

"How did they get in your tummy mummy?" Leah asked.

"Erm…" Alex didn't know how to answer this question, but fortunately Leah had already asked another question.

"Will the doctors take these two away?"

"No, we don't think so," Gene replied, the emotion of the past events still quite raw to him.

"Good then!" Leah smiled, the dimples in her cheeks huge, before turning to play with Olivia.

Standing up, Gene hugged Alex,

"Now stop being daft woman, and go and feed those babies!"

"No!" Alex smiled, sitting down on the couch, "You can go cook something since I'm doing the cooking tomorrow!"

"Bloody pregnant woman and their bloody hormones," Gene grumbled as he entered the kitchen with his empty mug,

"Now what will I make that doesn't involve much cooking?"

Later that night Leah and Olivia had hung their stockings on the fire place and placed a glass of milk and a plate of their cookies on the little table beside the Christmas tree. The two tired little girls were curled up in their parents' laps, Leah on Gene's and Olivia on Alex's.

"You know I think its bedtime." Alex whispered, to which Gene simply nodded to, lifting his eldest half asleep daughter to his hip, Alex doing the same with Olivia, who snuggled into her mothers neck.

"Would you be careful?" Gene scolded, to which Alex simply shot him a look that silenced him.

Upstairs Alex tucked Olivia into her bed, pulling the covers up to her neck, the little girl beneath them asleep instantly.

Gene tucked Leah into her own bed and kissed her forehead, Leah grabbing her fathers neck and whispered,

"You'll stay up and let Santa in won't you?"

Placing another kiss on her forehead, Gene replied, "Course I will can't have Santa leaving my girl's presents outside can I?"

"Night night daddy!" Leah giggled pulling the covers over her head.

"Night night princess!" Gene whispered closing Leah's room door behind him to find Alex smiling at him from the top of the stairs.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Alex was still smiling, "You actually are besotted with them, aren't you?"

"So?" Gene questioned.

"Nothing," Alex was still smiling as she entered their bedroom.

"O.k. o.k. I am!" he threw his hands over his head to admit defeat, "I love it, being a family, you and me Bolls, together forever."

"Oh I know you love it Gene, I should know you by now!" she winked at Gene from beside the wardrobe, unlocking the door to where the Christmas presents were hidden.

"I'll sort them Bolls, since I nearly ruined Christmas, first the car, then passing out…"

"Gene, you're safe now, here at home, and that's all that matters.

"But…"

"No buts Gene," Alex stood with her hands on her hips, "so are you going to help me get these presents downstairs or am I going to have to do it myself?"

_**The next morning…**_

"Leah!" a little voice whispered, Leah!"

Leah slowly opened her eyes to find Olivia staring down at her smiling.

"Eughch…" Leah groaned in the same way her father did when he got woken up.

"Leah!" Olivia cried once again, "It's Christmas!"

"But it's still dark outside!" Leah groaned from beneath the covers.

"I want to see if Santa's been yet!" Olivia smiled excitedly, bouncing on Leah's bed.

"But daddy needs to go and check first!" Leah said, sitting up, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes.

"Let's go wake him up!" Olivia giggled excitedly already at the room door.

"Well wait on me!" Leah climbed out of bed, racing Olivia to their parents' room door.

"You can go in first!" Olivia nudged Leah towards the door.

"No you," Leah nudged her back.

"You do it!" Olivia nudged her sister again.

"Oh fine!" Leah stomped, but before either of them could open the door, the door in front of them oped, Alex framing the door, dressed in her white pyjamas, fluffy slippers and housecoat.

"What are you two up too?" Alex asked with a smile in her eyes.

"Nothing!" Leah replied so quickly it made her sound guilty of something.

"Has Santa been yet?" Olivia asked looking up at her mother with excitement.

"Oh, I don't know," Alex replied with a smile, "You know daddy's the only one who can go down and check."

"But he's sleeping!" Olivia whined.

"Then you know what you need to do," Alex replied stepping to one side so that Leah and Olivia could enter the room, watching them as they crept over to the side of the bed where Gene slept, knowing full well that he wasn't actually sleeping, just pretending to.

"Wakey wakey daddy!" Olivia called into his ear. Gene grunted and let out a loud snore.

"Daddy!" Olivia called again, and again Gene let out another loud snore.

Climbing on top of him, the girls shouted together,

"WAKE UP DADDY!

"Grrr…" Gene grabbed one little girl in each arm, tickling them until they were laughing hysterically.

Between giggles Leah managed,

"Has Santa been yet?"

"Yes, I don't know what's stopping you two from going downstairs to open your presents." he said still in his lying position on the bed.

"You are silly daddy!" Olivia giggled.

"So I am!" Gene laughed letting go of his two girls who ran straight for the bedroom door where Alex was standing smiling at him.

"What?" he asked getting out of bed.

"You," she was still smiling, happy tears in her eyes, "with them."

"Don't you be getting all hormonal on me now Bolls, don't think I'd be able to take it today, well maybe later once I've had a few whiskeys!"

And with that they followed their girls down the stairs, the girls squealing with delight before they had even reached the bottom of the stairs.

In the living room, the Christmas tree lights shone red, greens and oranges, bouncing off the red and gold baubles, casting beams of light onto the ceiling in different colours, some dancing across the ceiling as the baubles bounced on the branches, the tinsel glimmering in the light like the glitter on the numerous cards that were hung up on the walls.

"Oh look at the size of that one," Olivia squealed pointing at the largest of the boxes under the tree, "Who's it for?"

"Can we open them? PLEASE?" Olivia was getting impatient having to wait.

"On you go then," Alex sighed, sitting down on the couch, Gene next to her.

There was squeals of excitement as the girls opened their presents and cries of "Ohhs," and "Ahhs," as they ripped through the paper.

Ten minutes later the presents were all open and the living room now looked as though a Christmas paper volcano had erupted all over it, there was pile after pile of red and gold paper, the excitement of present opening having been replaced with the excitement of new toys and games.

Olivia proudly showed off her new doll which she had called Amy, whilst Leah played with her new ballerina Barbie and her new pink Barbie car.

Gene and Alex watched on as the magic of Christmas filled them, happy that their girls liked their presents.

"I'd better get this paper binned," Alex whispered to Gene who nodded, his eyes smiling at her, which spoke only of his love for her.

Alex filled four bin bags of paper before placing it at the back door to be taken outside later and returned to the couch.

"Is the turkey in?" Alex asked Gene.

"Yes, put it in at 5am so it should be ready for about 1pm." he replied.

"Thank-you," she rested her head on his shoulder to watch their daughters play with each other and their new toys.

"Oh I almost forgot!" Gene suddenly got up from the couch and opened the cupboard door at the foot of the stairs where they hung their jackets.

"What ARE you doing?" Alex called from the living room.

"Just getting something," he called back, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket to retrieve the box he had placed there yesterday. He placed the box into his housecoat pocket and returned to the living room, sitting back down beside Alex.

"Well?" Alex asked eyeing him suspiciously.

"What?" Gene asked trying to sound innocent.

"You're up to something Gene, I know you too well!"

"Oh, here's a little something for you," he pulled the box from his pocket and placed it in her lap.

"But I thought we agreed not to buy each other gifts this year?" Alex said turning to Gene.

"Well I thought different," he replied quietly, "are you going to open it or just stare at it?"

Alex carefully removed what she knew to be the shop wrapped paper, as she had experienced Genes wrapping before and it could only be described as chaotic.

She removed the perfectly wrapped paper to reveal a plain black jewellers box, the edges detailed with gold thread, the top of the box soft to the touch.

She gently pushed open the lid to reveal what lay inside.

In the centre of the black velvet of the box lay her gift. It glistened in the light, the diamonds scattering light onto the ceiling, like fairy dust on the ceiling a hundred times over. The necklace itself was white gold, the diamond was a ¼ carrot princess cut rock.

"Oh Gene…" Alex whispered, delicately touching the necklace to make sure it was real. Her thin fingers touching it so lightly it didn't seem real.

"How…" Alex was for once speechless, and the tears that were in her eyes were now spilling down her cheeks.

"How…" she stuttered again, delicately turning the four millimetre stone over in her fingers where on the silver metal had been engraved with their wedding date: _28/05/87._

"Gene it's… it's beautiful. The simple was extravagant piece had taken her breath away, and now looking at Gene she could also see him welling up.

"After the year we've had…"

"Gene it's our future that matters now," she whispered, softly and delicately touching the side of his face, "and this… it must have cost you a fortune."

"You're worth it Bolls, every penny." he replied before softly kissing her.

"Right girls," Alex said snapping out of the trance she had been in for the past few minutes, drowning in his eyes; the doorway to his soul, "time to get ready, Jack will be here soon, and then Fiona's coming over."

"Can I wear my new snow white dress?" Olivia asked,

"Yes," Gene replied from the couch.

"Yeah!" Olivia jumped to her feet and ran to hug her father, "thank-you daddy!"

A few hours later, Leah and Olivia were playing happily together with their dolls, Olivia wearing her snow whit dress and Leah wearing a blue velvet dress.

Alex was busy in the kitchen, every ring of the cooker on, potatoes on one, carrots on another, brussel sprouts on the third and soup on the last. There was a delicious juicy smell of roasting turkey filling the kitchen mixed with the smell of chipolata sausages and sage stuffing. The strawberry gateaux they were having for desert was defrosting on the counter next to the window.

Gene was parked on the couch, whiskey in one hand, TV remote in the other watching, "It's a Wonderful Life"

"For god's sake!" Alex grumbled, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She had opted to wear black trousers with an elastic waist, and her wine coloured blouse, which showed up her bump ever so slightly, she was also wearing the necklace Gene had given her that morning.

"_DING DING!"_

The front doorbell had been rang.

"That'll be Jack!" Alex yelled from the kitchen.

"I'll get it!" Leah yelled, running for the door.

"Hi Jack, hi Fiona!" Alex heard Leah say.

"Hmmm…" Alex thought, "Fiona said she wouldn't be here till two."

"Hi Alex," Fiona said entering the kitchen a few moments later.

"Merry Christmas," Alex smiled from the cooker

"You need a hand with anything?" Fiona asked.

"Could you keep an eye on these potatoes?" Alex asked.

"Course," Fiona replied.

"GENE!" Alex yelled, "Get yer arse off that couch and set the table!"

"You o.k.?" Fiona asked from the cooker, "you looked flushed."

"Oh… erm… I'm fine!" Alex replied flustered by the question, handing Gene the cutlery at the kitchen door.

Turning back to Fiona, Alex caught a glimpse of a sparkle in Fiona's ear.

"New earrings?" Alex asked, "Who is he?" The colour red rose from Fiona's neck up to the apples of her cheeks.

Fiona couldn't make eye contact with Alex.

"Ohh…Do I know him? Does he work at the station?" Alex sounded like a teenager trying to find out who a friend had a crush on.

"Yes… and Yes…" Fiona replied without looking at Alex.

"Who?" Alex begged, "I won't tell anyone!"

"Jack," Fiona smiled, her eyes sparkling brighter than her earrings.

"How long?" Alex asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"Since we thought the Guv was… well you know…"

"Are you two going to serve lunch or just stand their and gossip all day?" Gene asked appearing at the door, interrupting their conversation.

Alex had served vegetable soup for starters.

"This is delicious!" Gene commented on the soup.

"It's out a tin Gene, all I've done is heat it through!"

"Still good though!" he mumbled.

"Why Isn't Uncle Luigi here?" Leah asked finishing her soup.

"Because he's open today," Alex replied gathering up the empty bowls.

"Can to give me a hand lifting the turkey out the oven Gene?" Alex asked.

Gene and Alex served Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and sat down opposite Jack and Fiona again.

"Everyone wanting wine?" Jack asked picking up the bottle of white wine to his right.

"Not for me," Alex smiled, "I'll just have orange juice."

"That's not like you ma'am!" Fiona said, "Are you sure you're o.k.?"

"I'm fine!" Alex demanded, Gene gently squeezed Alex's thigh from beneath the table.

"I think we need to tell them," Gene whispered.

"Tell us what?" Fiona asked her eyes full of worry.

Leah and Olivia were staring at their parents, little smiles crossing their little round faces. Already knowing what their parents were about to say.

"Well…" Alex cleared her throat, "I'm pregnant again!"

"Oh that's wonderful news," Fiona squealed, "How far along are you?"

"Twelve weeks," Gene smiled proudly.

"Mummy has babies in her tummy!" Leah declared popping a Brussel sprout into her mouth and chewed with her mouth open.

"Where's your manners young lady?" Alex asked.

"Babies?" Jack asked, "As in more than one?"

"Yes, we're having twins!" Gene declared with a huge smile on his face.

"Congratulations!" Jack raised his glass to propose a toast.

"Here's to you Guv!"

"Stop being such a poof Jack!" Gene said in his manly way, "You need to get yourself a woman."

"I have actually," he smiled.

Alex raised her orange juice glass to her lips to hide her smile, already knowing what Jack was about to say.

"Who is she then?" Gene asked

Jack and Fiona glanced at each other and smiled.

"What are you two smiling at?" Gene asked, and then the penny dropped, "You two?"

"Yes Guv, and he's great!" Fiona smiled.

"He'd better be good ter ye, yer a good lass Fiona!"

"Here's to new beginnings!" Alex raised her glass.

"To new beginnings!" The adults echoed.

Later that night after the dishes had been washed and the rubbish put out in the bin, Gene had a large glass of whiskey in his hand, Jack a bottle of beer and Fiona a glass of wine, the girls were sat on the carpet in front of the television moaning that there was nothing on when there was a knock at the door. Looking out of the window Alex could only see a shadow standing at the door.

Alex opened the door and was greeted by a "Merry Christmas" from Luigi who was laden with gifts.

"Merry Christmas!" Alex greeted Luigi with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Uncle Luigi!" the girls ran for Luigi to greet him with a hug.

"Here, I have gifts!" he said passing out gifts to everyone present.

Alex received a bottle of Luigi's house wine.

"Thank-you Luigi, but Gene will have to drink this for me."

"Why? You no like my wine anymore?"

"No Luigi, I can't have it for at least six months!"

"Why Singorita?" Luigi asked.

"I'm pregnant Luigi. With twins" Alex smiled.

"Oh Singor, Singorita, my sincere congratulations!" Luigi cried, "You still have it Mr. Hunt!"

"Have what Luigi?" Gene asked from the couch, slightly tipsy.

"Your way with the ladies!"

"I never bloody lost it Luigi!" Gene replied trying to stop himself from swaying.

Luigi left a few hours later along with Jack and Fiona, Gene was sat on the couch, sozzled after drinking an entire bottle of scotch whiskey. Alex had just waved off their guests and now had the task in hand of getting Gene upstairs and into bed, the girls already exhausted from the day's excitement.

"Right Gene - BED!" Alex instructed.

"Ish am not drunk!" Gene slurred, tried to stand, but lost his balance and fell back onto the couch.

"Shheeee I'm find!" he slurred.

"Right Gene," Alex helped Gene to his feet and managed to get him up the stairs somehow.

"He can sleep with his clothes on!" she thought, sitting him down on the bed.

"I'll be back in a minute," Alex said before entering the en-suite to change into her pyjamas before returning a few minutes later to find Gene staring drunkenly at her.

"What?" she asked helping Gene into bed, his jelly legs first.

"You knosh you're even more beautiful when you're pregnant Bolls." and despite being drunk sounded rather lucid.

"Really?" she asked climbing into bed beside him.

"Yeshh!" he slurred, "I love you!"

"And I love you as well!" she whispered back.

"You know yesh were right earlier," he whispered, the smell of whiskey on his breath usually turned her on but with pregnancy hormones, it was making her feel sick.

"Right about what?" she asked, trying her best to ignore the smell.

"It'sh allsh about new beginnings!" he whispered barely audible.

"I know," she sighed, rubbing her bump. But Gene hadn't heard, he let out a loud snore, which confirmed he was asleep.

"New beginnings," she thought as she drifted off to sleep thinking, "us as a family."

_**There are a few deliberate typos towards the end of this chapter, but it's only to highlight Genes drunkenness and his lack to speak properly!**_

_**I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter, it took me long enough! **_

_**Chapter 15 is still being written so I apologise now as it may be a while before it's up! In the meantime please review and let me know if you want more! Because I like your input and thoughts!**_

_**Bye for the now! **_

_**Lesa xxx**_


	15. Happy New Year

_**Thank you so much for your kind reviews on the last chapter. There is a deliberate typo near the start but you'll understand why when you get to it. Oh I'm rubbish at writing humor so I'm not entirely happy with this chapter and it was meant to be longer but I decided to break this chapter into two chapters rather that just thee one. Hope you enjoy! xx**_

Chapter 15 - "Happy New Year!"

"_Well there's only ten minutes left of 1992, ten minutes until 1993, so let's bring it in with a bang!"_

The television was on and Gene and Alex were cuddled up on the couch, ready to bring in the New Year, quietly this year, just the two of them.

"Well Bolls," Gene spoke, "Next year can't be any worse than this year"

"I'm looking forward to it," she sighed, "We've got a lot to look forward to, being a mum again, you being a dad again, even though it'll mean a few cut backs, and we'll need to tighten our belts."

"We'll manage," he said softly sitting up to pour himself a whiskey, ready to toast the New Year - a tradition he had done for as long as he could remember.

"_O.k. people, TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE… HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the man on the T.V cheered, Auld Lang Syne played behind him. The fireworks looked spectacular. _

"Gene…" Alex whispered.

"Happy New - "Gene turned to face Alex; she had a strange look on her face, her face chalk white with a mixture of fear and excitement.

"What is it?" he asked, concerned by the look of fear on her face.

"Gene…" she gasped again, grabbing his free hand and placed it on her stomach.

"Oh…" he placed his glass on the coffee table to free up his other hand, placing it too on her stomach.

"That's strange…" she whispered, "I didn't think I'd be able to feel both of them moving in there."

"Is that the first time?" Gene asked, making eye contact with Alex, whose eyes were filled with happy tears.

Nodding and smiling, blinking back the tears she replied, "It is really happening isn't it?"

"Yes…" Gene trailed, his hands still on Alex's stomach, "It is really happening isn't it?"

"Happy New Year!" she smiled, suddenly realising it hadn't been said yet.

"Happy New Year Bolls," he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Well I'm going to bed," she sighed, "I'm exhausted!"

"You sure you're o.k. Bolls you look really white."

"I'm just tired Gene," she managed through a yawn.

"Then you get up to bed, I'll be up after a few whiskey's." he took a swig of his whiskey and winked at her, "Warm the bed up for me!"

"Night Gene," Alex smiled at her husband, before climbing the stairs to their bedroom, where she changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed.

Her eyelids fluttered to a close, her breathing became heavy as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

"_Agghhh…" she screamed, panting through the pain that was ripping through her,"Argghh!"_

"_Alex you need to push now!" the female voice instructed._

"_I CAN'T!" she shouted back._

"_You have to," the same female voice demanded._

"_Argghh!" she screamed again, "I NEED GENE!"_

"_He's coming," the female voice reassured._

"_Bolls…" his voice seemed so quiet and far away._

"_Bolls… Heeelllp!" she could hear him but she couldn't see him._

"Gene!" she sat up, wide awake in an instant.

"Bolls!" She could hear him calling from down the stairs.

"Oh, what's he done now?" she asked herself as she got out of bed and began to make her way down the stairs.

"Bolly!" Gene yelled again.

"Sshh!" she hushed entering the living room, "What is it?"

"My legs aren't working!" he managed between hiccups, "Isn't that funny!"

"How much have you had to drink Gene?" Alex asked with a smirk, thinking to herself that it was funny that Gene thought his legs weren't working.

"Not much…" he lied glaring at the empty bottle of Scotch on the table.

"That's not like you Gene" Alex replied, "I remember the day you could drink a bottle and a half and then you would still drive!"

"Those days are finished Bolls, I'm a father now!" he huffed, "Nowsh help me to bed so you can keep me warmish!"

_**A few weeks later…**_

Gene had indeed restricted Alex to paperwork, telling her he needed her expert organisation skills to get the office organised, but secretly he wanted to keep her from harms way.

Today was another check - up for Alex, another one of those days where Gene was in a stinker of a mood, this time about the fact he had to leave Jack in charge of his kingdom for the few hours he and Alex were at the doctors.

Now sitting in the waiting room his arms were folded across his chest, his lips set in a pout, still in a mood after Alex had told him he was acting like a child.

"God he looks sexy…" Alex thought to herself, licking her lips seductively.

"What are you looking at me like that for Bolls?" Gene asked.

"Crap!" she thought, "he caught me"

"Oh nothing… just imagining something…" she sighed in her sultry tone.

"See bloody pregnant woman!" he said.

"Well I can't control my hormones can I?" she shot back, "Why do you have to be so god damned sexy Gene?"

"What?" he asked in shock.

"Mrs. Hunt!" the podgy little mid-wife they had met before called from the door, "How are you doing?"

"Not bad," Alex smiled, entering the room, Gene behind her.

"Any cravings yet?" the mid-wife asked as Alex settled herself on the bed, "Not yet… but I am feeling rather… well rather hungry for sex…"

"That's more common than you think, especially with multiple babies," the mid-wife smiled.

She placed some of the cold gel on Alex's stomach and placed the examination device onto her stomach. Immediately the sound of the babies' heartbeats could be heard on the monitor.

Gene took Alex's hand and smiled lovingly at her.

"Everything seems to be perfect," the mid-wife smiled, "now I have a good angle if you would like to know what you're having."

Gene and Alex hadn't spoke about finding out the sex before hand, as with Leah and Olivia they had wanted to wait.

"Do you want to know?" Alex tightened her grip on Gene's hand, to which he squeezed her hand back in agreement with her.

"You can tell using that thing?" Gene asked pointing at the monitor.

"Yes," the mid-wife smiled turning the monitor to Gene and Alex to reveal the sex.

Alex's eyes filled with tears at the image in front of her, her heart beating faster as her grip on Genes hand tightened even more.

"We're having…. It's not possible…" the tears were rolling down her face as Gene kissed the back of her hand, full of emotion himself.

"How?" he asked, "Is it both of them?" Gene asked, still staring at the image on the monitor, still in shock by the news.

"Yes, Mr. Hunt, it is both!" the mid-wife smiled.

"Th-Thank-you!" Alex managed her eyes still wide with the shock.

"Do you want the picture?" the mid-wife asked, unsure if Gene and Alex were truly happy with the news of the sex of their tins.

"Yes," Gene replied, "we can show the girls it tonight."

"They'll both be so excited," Alex said pulling on her jacket.

"Well I'll see you in about 6weeks for your next check up, as you don't seem to be having any problems, if you do have any problems just phone and we can bring the next appointment forward."

"O.k. thanks," Alex smiled as her and Gene left the room, arms linked, still shocked by the news.

_**Later that night…**_

"I don't think it will seem real until they're here," Alex sighed, her head in Genes lap, her feet at the other side of the couch. Genes hand was on her stomach as the twins moved around more than usual.

"I really can't believe it Gene…" She sighed, "And I won't be able to have any more after these two, I'll be too old."

"I wouldn't expect you to have any more after this Bolls, I never even thought that I would have one child, never mind four." he smiled down at her.

"But you…" she sighed again.

"Alex…" his blue eyes smiled down at her brown ones which smiled back, "at least we know the sex now, we can go and look out that baby name book of yours."

"It's going to be strange Gene," she smiled.

"Why Bolls?" he looked confused.

"Well we've been looking up both boy and girl names when I've been pregnant before." she smiled,

"You have a point!" he winked.

"We're having two boys Gene." she smiled, the news just beginning to sink in "Two boys!"

"My two little ones for Man City!" he smiled.

"Oh Gene, our families complete!" she smiled, her brown eyes sparkling in the dim light of the fire.

"Two boys!" he declared proudly.

"What was your Dads name Gene?" She asked, "We could name the first one born after your father."

"NO!" Gene pushed Alex into a sitting position.

"Gene?" Alex questioned.

"I am NOT naming my son after my father!" he shouted.

"I thought it was a good idea!" she shouted back, "You can be so stubborn sometimes!"

"ME?" he yelled, "STUBOURN? You're the one that has made a stupid suggestion."

"It is NOT a stupid idea!" Alex shouted back, "And would you keep your voice down, you'll wake up the girls!"

"It bloody well is a stupid idea; we are NOT naming our son after my father!"

"We're not naming our son after my father just doesn't cut it, you're going to have to tell me why Gene!"

"No I don't have to tell you why Bolls!"

"Oh FINE!" Alex snapped, storming up the stairs away from him, grabbing a spare duvet and returning back to the living room dumping it on top of the couch.

"Stop being so bloody selfish woman!" he shouted.

"ME?" Alex shouted, "I'm not the one who's being selfish!"

"Oh really?" Gene shouted, "You're the one who won't take no for an answer!"

"You can sleep here tonight; I can't bear to look at you right now!" Alex shouted before storming back up the stairs slamming the bedroom door behind her.

"Damn it!" Gene slammed his fists down onto the coffee table, causing the glass on it to jump.

Stupid, stupid bastard!" he cursed himself as he slumped back onto the couch.

Upstairs Alex had crawled into the large bed which seemed massive without Gene in it beside her; the Gene shaped emptiness next to her.

"You stupid woman!" she thought to herself, "You've gone and done it now." the tears in her eyes burning to escape.

"Gene's right, pregnancy hormones aren't worth the hassle of actually being pregnant!"

As thee tiredness fell over her, her eyes began to droop she thought to herself, "He'll not sleep on the couch, he'll be up in a minute, and I'll apologise."

Alex didn't know if Gene came up to bed that night as she fell into a deep dreamless sleep, the same couldn't be said for Gene, downstairs on the couch.


	16. My Childhood

_**Thank you for all your lovely reviews both on here and all the ones on Facebook as well. Without them I really would not have been able to continue with this story or develop it in the way I have, I really hope that you are still enjoying this story as much as I have writing it. Thank you once again. Lesa xx**_

**Chapter 16 - "My Childhood"**

"_NO!" the little boy shouted, "Leave her alone!_

"_Stay out of this Gene!" the mans hand hit his mothers face and she fell to the floor._

"_Take Richard upstairs Gene," his mother cried as the broad shouldered man towered over her._

"_Do as you're told boy!" the man turned to face Gene, his eyes full of venom._

"_Come on Richard," Gene took his little brothers hand leading him upstairs, wishing that her could stop this man from hurting his mother, but he knew if he tried he would receive a beating for, "Not being a man!"_

"_A man shouldn't hit a woman," Gene thought as he and Richard sat in the back room, in the cupboard, Gene believing her knew what was happening to his mother downstairs at this moment._

"_What's Dad doing to mum?" Richard asked, his dark eyes that were looking at him were identical to the man's who was downstairs hurting their mother._

_There was screams from down stairs, Gene could just about make out his mothers screams for him to stop._

"_NO!" Gene could hear his mothers screams, "Please stop!"_

"_Can't you make him stop Gene?" Richard asked, his voice coming through the darkness of the cupboard where they were hid._

"_I wish I could Ritchie," Gene replied, "I'll go and see if I can stop him," Gene replied opening the cupboard door, "You wait here, I'll come back for you."_

_Gene walked down the stairs, "What's he doing?" he thought to himself._

Gene awoke with a start; he was back in his own house, the duvet now scrunched up around his waist and around his legs.

"Gene?" a tiny voice whispered in a croak, "are you o.k.?" Alex asked in a whisper afraid to move in case it started another argument.

"Bolls?" Gene asked into the darkness, because he thought he had imagined her voice in his half asleep state.

"Yes, it's me," she spoke as she made her way to the couch, "You really need to see someone about those dreams you keep having," she sat down next to him, taking his body in a cuddle, his whole body trembling, "I really do think you need to see a psychologist, to talk about those dreams."

"But you're one Bolls, you're a psychiatrist."

"Psychologist."

"Whatever, but I think you should be able to tell you about them, after all you're my wife, you deserve to know about my childhood." he sighed.

"You sure you're ready to tell me Gene," she started, "I mean you don't have to if you don't want to."

"No I HAVE to explain to you why I don't want us naming our son after that man."

He took a deep breath, preparing himself, to compose himself before he had to explain the events of the day in question.

"When I was a child, about nine or ten, my brother was five or six, we had to witness that bastard of a man beating up my mother" Gene explained holding Alex's hand.

"Oh Gene…" Alex whispered.

"It was every day Alex, h was a bloody alcoholic, he was always drinking, and his anger was always worse when he was drunk, and if I tried to stop him he would turn on me."

"You couldn't have done anything Gene, you were only a child," Alex hushed, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones which were awash with fear and sadness.

"I didn't try hard enough to stop him," Gene was shaking again as he remembered the day in question.

"Gene you don't hare to go on if it's too difficult," Alex's voice soothing to him and his memories.

"I want you to know," Gene replied.

"One day, it was during the summer holidays, Man United had just gubbed City 3-0, and with him being a Man U man he went to celebrate their win, it was early evening and he came home blind drunk, shouting at me, calling me a waste of space, a ;little bastard, you get the idea," he began to explain.

"Did he ever hit your brother?" Alex asked, not breaking eye contact.

Gene shook his head, "no because it was his son."

"What?" Alex asked,

"He wasn't my real father, I was three when my mother married him, I saw him as my father, but he never really accepted me."

"Ohh," Alex tightened her grip on his hand.

"Any way that day he came in, hitting me on the head as he passed me , shouting at my mother about something before he hit her, again," he took another deep breath preparing him self for the rest.

"My mother was shouting at me to take Richard upstairs, it was as it she knew what he was going to do to her. We hid in a cupboard, but I could hear my mum screaming for him to stop, Richard asked me why I couldn't stop him and I thought, why can't I?"

"You were ten Gene." Alex whispered.

"I know I was, but at the time I didn't think of that Bolls, I left Richard in the cupboard and I went down the stairs and… and I … I saw him on top of my mother, he was… he was… she never saw me, he eyes were of silent fear, there was tears on her face as he…"

"Oh Gene," Alex pulled him in to a tight hug, he was trembling again.

"I couldn't stop him," Gene stammered, "I was ten but I knew what he was doing to her, I knew it was wrong for a man to do that., so later that night I eventually stood up to him and punched him, that was the first time I ever hit any one."

"You were trying to protect you're mother Gene, I understand."

"But that didn't stop him, it made him worse."

"Gene," Alex soothed "You don't have to tell me anymore tonight,"

Gene ignored this request from Alex and continued to talk, now he had started he couldn't leave it, he had to tell her the rest.

"My mother was pregnant Alex, and she lost the baby because of him, and his beatings, although she never told me this until years later."

Alex simply nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.

"That's why I joined the force Bolls, to clear scum like him from the streets, and to stop it from happening to others," Gene continued, "After you - we lost our baby was when these dreams started again."

"Have you ever told any one about this Gene?" Alex asked.

"No," he replied, "I never even told my brother, and my mother never knew that I witnessed what that bastard done to her."

"What never?" Alex whispered.

"If I had told her, it would have broken her heart Bolls, I could never have done that to her," he sighed, "she eventually reported the bastard to the police after he beat her up again, and she packed us up and we fled to the other side of Manchester.

"I'm afraid that with the amount of drinking I've been doing lately that I'm slowly becoming that man!" he said in a shaky voice.

"You won't Gene, you are the complete opposite of him, and you're kind, loving, generous and an all round brilliant man, that's why I love you Gene!" Alex reassured him rubbing his arm.

"My brother turned into him Bolls,"

"How?" Alex asked, her gentle touch helping him,

"He thought that beating a woman was the norm, he married when he was eighteen, but he beat his wife every day, and he was a drunk…" he stammered, "Until one day he went too far…"

"Oh Gene, I'm sorry," Alex hushed,

"I had to arrest the bastard; it was my first week as a D.C."

"Gene Hunt, listen to me," she said gently, placing her hands on the side of his face, her eyes meeting his, "You WILL NOT turn into him."

"What would I do without you Bolls?" he asked as his blue eyes stared into her caring brown ones, he felt as though a weight had just been lifted off his shoulders.

"I love you Gene, you got that, no matter what, I always will, I can't help it, and you will never become him, you clean scum from the streets, you won't become it!"

"Oh Bolls…" he sighed,"

"Even when we're old and Grandparents I'll love you Gene,"

"Bloody 'el Bolls, Leah's only just started school last year and you've already got 'er married wi' kids."

"Just saying what's the truth Gene," Alex smiled a small smile.

"She ain't getting married for at least twenty years if I've got anything t' do wi' it!" he smiled for the first time that night.

"Twenty years?" Alex smirked, "now we will be old then!"

"I'm sorry for not telling you before Bolls," Gene whispered, "Like I said…"

"Gene, thank you for telling me, I'll help you…"

"Lets get up to bed Bolls, maybe we will get some sleep tonight."

"Come on then," she smiled, taking him by the hand and leading him up to bed. She climbed back into bed, the Gene shaped space that had been there before was now filled perfectly by Gene himself; she kissed him gently to show her care for him, and to set his mind at rest over their conversation down stairs.

"Night Gene," she whispered snuggling into his chest, placing his hands over her stomach were the feel of the babies moving made him smile,

"Night Bolls," he whispered into her head, "Love you forever And Always."

_**O.k a shorter chapter this time,**_

_**Well that's what happened when Gene was a child, I hope you have understood my explanation of what he witnessed as a child, and I hope that you will now review and let me know what you think, I'm writing chapter 17 at the moment, there isn't much left to tell in this story now that Gene has told Alex about his childhood, but there could be another trauma approaching for the Hunt's, but for who? Ohh you'll have to wait and see! **_

_**Thanks for reading, like I said at the start of this chapter I hope that you are still enjoying this story - if not let me know!**_

_**Lesa xxx**_


	17. 20 Weeks

_**Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter - I hope you enjoyed it! I had written some of this chapter and then decided I didn't like it so re-wrote it.**_

_**Hope you enjoy!**_

**Chapter 17 - 20 Weeks **

It had been six weeks since Gene had opened up to Alex about witnessing his mother being raped when he was ten years old, since then Alex had supportive in any way a wife should be, she hadn't mentioned it to anyone, nor had she asked Gene any more about It. She would comfort him when he woke at night, trembling after another dream about that childhood memory.

The day before there had been a robbery at a bookies, but with no evidence to support the arrest of the only suspect, the manager of the bookies was in hospital after suffering a heart attack after the robbery.

Gene was in one of his moods after one of he and Alex's stupid arguments after Gene had told Fiona she was being stupid for suggesting building the case up from scratch again.

"You finished typing those reports Fiona?" Gene shouted through his open office door.

"On your desk Guv!" Fiona shouted back, "all thirty of them!"

"Gene?" Alex asked entering his office, sitting down opposite him,

"You know, Fiona's a good copper, she could do well."

"What ye want me to do?" Gene grumbled, "Give her a pat on the back?"

"No but - " Alex was interrupted by Gene,

"She's going to have to do more than type up reports to impress me!"

"Anyway Bolls, you don't look well, you look as though your face is swollen, are you o.k.?"

"I just feel a bit run down and tired is all, we've got the mid- wife tomorrow, I'll be fine till then."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door,

"Guv?" Fiona asked from the doorway,

"You know that suspect we've got down in cells?"

"What about 'im?" Gene replied,

"He's lying about the time he left the bookies."

"How'd you know that? You got a crystal ball or something?" Gene was annoyed.

"Well if you don't want to know…" Fiona turned away from the door,

"What have you found out Fiona?" Alex asked getting up from the chair.

"I went down to the bookies and got the video of CCTV of yesterday, it's rather interesting, think you'd want to see it Guv,"

Alex took the tape from Fiona and put it into the video recorder in the main C.I.D.

"See?" Fiona asked pointing to the screen.

"What am I meant to be looking at?" Gene asked,

"Oh for goodness sake!" Fiona grabbed the remote control from Gene and rewound the tape, before pausing it.

"THAT!" Fiona pointed at the grainy image on the screen, where the man that was down in cells was now on the screen, in the bookies, five minutes before the robbery had occurred.

"That's him!" Gene sounded amazed.

"That's all the evidence you need Guv" Fiona smiled.

Alex gave Gene a knowledgeable look, to which Gene cleared his throat.

"WPC Chalmers consider this your promotion to D.C."

"What?" Fiona asked her eyes wide with shock.

"My missus has been nagging me for months that you would do well in C.I.D so don't let me regret this!"

"Oh I won't Guv" Fiona gave Alex a hug in show of her thanks, "I promise I won't let you down Ma'am!"

:**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

A few hours later after charging their suspect with the robbery Gene and Alex were walking to the car to go home when Alex suddenly stopped dead.

"Oh what's that smell?" she asked

"What?" Gene asked Alex, a confused look on his face.

"That smell, I could eat that smell!"

"What smell Bolls I can't smell anything."

"Oh that's my cravings kicking in now." She smiled, "I know what that smell is - it's the smell of fish and chips." her taste buds watering at the thought of it, "I could murder a fish and chips!" she smiled getting into the car.

"Fish and chips?" Gene asked, "You don't even like fish and chips, so how can you have cravings for it?"

"It's not me Gene," Alex explained, "It must be those male genes of yours, well seeing as I'm carrying two boys."

"There's nothing wrong wi' my genes Bolls, their a good thing to have!"

"That's my boys," he said placing his left hand on her swollen stomach.

"Can you get me fish and chips please Gene!" Alex demanded.

"O.k. Bolls, I will, any excuse for me to get my fish and chips as well."

That night Alex scoffed an entire fish supper to herself, to the amazement of Leah and Olivia.

"Why did Mum eat all that to herself?" Leah asked her Dad when Alex had cleared the plates away.

"She's hungry tonight," Gene smiled at his eldest.

"Is it because of the babies that she's hungry?" Leah was smart for her age and always knew what was going on.

"Yes sweetheart," Alex replied as she reappeared at the door.

"Why do you want that funny smelling food mum?"

"I just did Leah, now go and get your homework and daddy will help you, Olivia go and play in the living room."

"What's up Bolls?" Gene asked as Alex sat down next to him at the dining table.

"Are you coming with me tomorrow for this check up? It'll be the first time we'll be able to see them properly."

"Nothing will make me miss that Bolls, nothing. You sure you're o.k.? You look exhausted."

"I'm tired Gene, the tiredness is worse since I'm pregnant with twins."

"Why don't you go and have a bath an early night, I can manage with the girls." Gene suggested.

"You sure? You know what Olivia can be like?" Alex smiled through a yawn.

"Go- I'll be up when the girls are in bed."

"And we can have a cuddle?" Alex thought she would chance her luck with Genes good mood.

"Maybe - I thought you were tired?" Gene asked suddenly realising what Alex was hinting at, "AND you're pregnant!"

Leah interrupted them then,

"I've got sums daddy will you help me?" Leah placed her homework in front of Gene and climbed onto the chair next to him.

"Night mum!" Leah smiled, "Hope you feel better in the morning!"

"Good night my girls," Alex blew air kisses to Leah and Olivia who both caught them and blew them back to their Mum.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The next morning Gene and Alex dropped Leah and Olivia off and headed to the hospital for their appointment with the mid-wife.

"My ankles are so swollen today," Alex said as they sat down in the waiting room.

"Your face still looks swollen as well - it better not have been that fish supper or I'll bloody kill Mario!"

"I don't think it was the fish supper Gene, it's probably just my hormones playing up!"

"Hormones don't do THAT Bolls!"

"What would you know Gene?" Alex was being irritated more than normal by Gene.

"Mrs Hunt," the mid-wife called them into the room,

"Actually, I do read that book of yours," Gene wasn't ready to let this rest.

"There's something wrong Bolls, I know there is."

"Oh shut up Gene, we'll soon find out if I'm o.k. or not!"

Clearing her throat the midwife began her examination,

"Well your half way there, not long now!"

"No," Alex agreed, still glaring at Gene.

"Your hands are quite swollen and puffy today," the mid-wife noticed,

"My ankles as well…" Alex informed.

"Hmmm…" the midwife sounded concerned, "lets just take your blood pressure," the mid-wife slipped the band over Alex's arm and pumped it up.

"Hmm…" the midwife hummed again, "let me check the other arm as well."

"Is everything o.k.?" Gene asked in a shaky voice, stepping forward to take Alex's hand as she was now shaking with fear.

"I'll ask you again, is everything o.k.?" Gene asked again, this time his voice louder.

"I'm not sure, I'll go and get a doctor," the mid-wife exited the room.

"This can't be happening," Alex croaked, "What if - "

"Bolls don't you dare even think like that, we don't know any things wrong yet."

"Then why is she away for a doctor?"

"Mr and Mrs Hunt?" the doctor had entered the room followed by the mid-wife,

"We're going to have to do some urgent Blood and urine tests on you Mrs. Hunt - "

"Why? What's wrong with my babies?" Alex demanded.

"Alex calm down darling," Gene soothed, "Is there something wrong Doc?"

The mid-wife had placed the examination device on Alex stomach and two heartbeats could be heard immediately, "your babies are fine, both good sizes," the mid-wife showed Alex the screen, and Alex let out a sigh of relief, but she immediately inhaled again when she felt Genes hand on her shoulder, and saw the look on the doctors face.

"We can have the results back in a few hours, but you'll have to wait here Mrs. Hunt."

"Will you just tell us?" Alex demanded, "What's wrong?"

"WE won't know for sure until we get the tests back." the doctor explained,

"What do you THINK is wrong doctor?" Alex asked in a terrified voice, she could feel Genes grip on her shoulder tighten.

"From the symptoms you're displaying I believe you have Toxciemia of Pregnancy."

"What?" Alex asked,

"Pre-eclampsia," the doctor said.

"NO!" Alex gasped, "No I can't have!"

"We can't say for sure yet Mrs. Hunt," the doctor reassured, "I'll take some blood and then we'll know more."

"What's Pre-ecla - Pre -" Gene asked, his senses telling him it wasn't good.

"It's a disturbance in blood pressure and the kidneys of pregnant woman," the doctor explained.

"It sounds serious," Gene asked,

"It can be," the doctor replied, "but it is treatable, but let's not get a head of our selves, we'll send the blood samples down to the laboratory right away."

Gene and Alex were left alone in the room when the doctor and mid-wife left.

"This can't be happening…" Alex whispered, "What have we done to deservfethis? I've never had any complications before, what if that accident was meant for us never to have any more children, what if it was? Pre Eclampsi can be fatal Gene," Alex was fast becoming hysterical, so Gene simply sat beside her and held her as she trembled.

"sshh, we don't know what it is yet Alex, lets not get ahead of ourselves, and if it is that the doctor said it is treatable."

Alex's trembles subsided as her eyes met his.

"I'll go phone the office tell Jack he's in charge today."

Gene?" Alex whispered, "Don't be long."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

A few hours later…

"I'm sorry Mrs. Hunt, but I am afraid that you do have Pre-Eclampsia." the doctor informed, "Your urine test shows protein in your urine which is one of the main symptoms of Pre- Eclampsia along with your high blood pressure.

"What…what…" Alex stuttered.

"Its serious but we can treat it."

"What's the treatment?" Gene asked,

"We'll I'll prescribe you tablets to help lower your blood pressure."

"Will they harm the babies?" he eyes wide with fear.

"No, but you will have to rest as often as possible, on your left hand side preferably as this helps circulation."

"Right Bolls - you're on maternity leave as of this minute." Gene demanded.

"I would suggest that as well," the doctor agreed.

"Bed rest for the next four months?" Alex asked, "No way - I'll go out of my head!"

"I'm not having my two Gene juniors OR you coming to harm Bolls, you hear me?"

"What am I meant to do for four months?" Alex moaned, "Take up knitting?"

"Not a bad idea it's less stressful than the job." Gene smiled.

"I'll get you your prescription and you can go home," the doctor said,

"I'll do anything as long as these two are born healthily," Alex smiled at Gene, rubbing a hand over her bump.

"I can knit booties for the babies," she smiled, "or at least attempt to!"

"If your symptoms worsen, you'll have to be hospitalised until you give birth." the doctor informed them.

"Only if they worsen? Right?" Alex asked.

"Yes, only if they worsen."

"O.k. I promise I'll have bed rest until they are born and this Pre-Eclampsia clears up." Alex smiled,

"You've promised now so you have to stick to it now Bolls!" Gene replied.

"I promise Gene, I promise," she replied, knowing that the next four months would be long and drawn out, but she knew that in the long run it was for the best, for both her and her family.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

_**Sooo… you know what to do now… let me know your thoughts! Alex having problems with her pregnancy… not long now till the babies are born…will Alex go nuts with bed rest? **_

_**Well I've just started chapter 18 so may be a few days before its up!**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

_**Lesa xxx**_


	18. Fussing Does No Good

_**Firstly I must say that I apologise if some of my medical bits in this story don't add up - I used a book for most of it and the internet, so I apologise if it doesn't add up, secondly I would like to thank those of you who have left me reviews on this story and have stuck with it from the start on here and on Facebook. I brought in the issue about Pre-Eclamsia because it's an issue that not many people are aware of during pregnancy, and again if my medical bits aren't right on it I apologise.**_

_**This chapter will jump a bit from where the last chapter left of but you'll understand why when you read the chapter, I don't want this story going on and on, so this is why I decided to do it this way. Any way enough from me rambling on here's chapter eighteen and I hope you enjoy!**_

**Chapter 18 - Fussing does no Good**

_**FOUR MONTHS LATER…**_

Alex's symptoms hadn't worsened, and her blood pressure was continuously steady. The swelling in her ankles was still there, but the doctor had informed her that this was common in pregnancy, but Alex already knew this as she had suffered swollen ankles whilst pregnant with both Leah and Olivia. Her hormone levels were all over the place, and she was struggling to cope with being stuck in the house nearly every day.

She had attempted knitting, but what was meant to be little booties looked more like tea cosy's for mice.

"Argghh!" Alex cried throwing down the knitting needles, and she picked up the baby name book.

She and Gene still couldn't agree on two names they both liked. Alex liked the name David, but Gene didn't, and Alex had made her feelings clear when Gene had suggested "Gene Junior."

"Aaron, Adam," Alex read out,

"Oh for God's sake!" she slammed the book closed.

Alex was beginning to hate being pregnant, she couldn't see her feet any more and hated her stretch marks.

She also hated that she couldn't do much around the house, and was beginning to get frustrated with Gene, and he didn't help matters by constantly asking if she was o.k. any time she moved, or any time she made a noise.

"Hi Mummy!" Olivia ran into the living room followed by Leah and Gene.

"Hi sweet heart, how was nursery?" Alex asked as Olivia sat down next to her, gently laying her head on the bump.

"Are you o.k.?" Gene asked taking his jacket off.

"Fine!" Alex didn't even bother to look at him.

"What was that?" Olivia asked suddenly sitting up.

"That was one of the babies kicking," Alex smiled,

"What do they do that for?" Olivia asked her blue eyes twinkling, "Don't they like you?"

"Oh sweetheart, that's what they do."

"Oh o.k.," Olivia hurried away to see what her sister was doing.

"How's the knitting?" Gene asked,

"See for yourself," Alex pointed to the table, where lay the discarded knitting.

Picking it up Gene smiled and asked,

"Is it meant to be a hat?"

"No, it's meant to be booties."

"Sorry," Gene pouted, still looking at Alex,

"What now?" Alex snapped,

"I had a thought about a name."

"What?" Alex asked, sounding as though she didn't care.

"Aaron." Gene replied.

"How many more times Gene, if we use that people ill think we've opened the baby name book, saw the first name and went - that'll do!"

"O.k. so we won't use that name then," Gene replied, "What are you wanting to eat?"

"There's chicken there, you could make that with potatoes," Alex replied, crossing her arms over her chest, turning away from Gene.

"I wish we still spoke more than we do," he thought to himself as he entered the kitchen, Alex thinking the same on the couch.

That night the family ate in silence, the once bustle of conversation over dinner was long forgotten, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of cutlery on plates and the sound of chewing.

"Why don't you and daddy talk any more?" Leah asked her mother after finishing her chicken.

Alex looked from Leah to Gene, a stab of pain hit her, "God the girls have even noticed it!" she thought as she saw the sadness in his eyes, she knew that he was thinking the same.

"Oh we do talk sweetheart, we talk when you and Olivia are sleeping," Alex lied,

"Do you really?" Leah turned to her father.

"Yes me and mummy talk lots when you go to your bed."

"Oh o.k." Leah said, sensing the tension turned to Olivia, "Lets go and play dolls!" before taking her sisters hand and leading her upstairs.

"What's happening to us Bolls?" Gene asked, "I thought we were unbreakable?"

"We are unbreakable Gene, it's just that you're unbearable at the moment, you just won't stop fussing!"

"I don't want you being stressed Alex."

"But you're stressing me Gene!" Alex's voice was getting louder, For once I wish you'd stop fussing - I'm FINE, and the babies are FINE!"

"You want me to stop fussing?" Gene was staying surprisingly calm, "I just don't want you getting stressed out!"

"I'm going stir crazy here Gene, I'm stuck in this house all day," she sighed, "I just wish I didn't have Pre-Eclampsia."

"You'll be fine Alex," Gene got up from his chair, hugging Alex from behind.

"I'll do the dishes," he said as he began to gather the plates together.

"There you go again Gene!" Alex shouted,

"What the hell have I done now?" Gene shot back.

"I'll do the dishes tonight!" Alex shouted, "I CAN manage a few plates!"

Later that night after Leah and Olivia were in bed, Alex and Gene were having one of their now rare cuddles on the couch.

Gene was being unusually quiet, which didn't go un-noticed by Alex.

"You're quiet tonight, everything o.k.?" she asked,

"Yes, fine Bolls," he lied, not wanting to stress her out with what was on his mind.

"Gene, there's something wrong, tell me."

"It's nothing," he lied again.

"Gene - " she didn't even have to finish her sentence,

"Erm Bolls…" he stuttered, "I need to tell you something."

"You're worrying me now Gene," Alex sat up so she could face him.

"Erm… I've been asked to go to a Police conference." he said quietly,

"Oh that's good Gene, that'll be interesting, when is it?"

"Eh… in a few days…" he stammered.

"Well you'd better get a speech or something sorted!"

"I ain't making no bloody speeches, you know what I'm like at them!" he said quickly, "Any way I don't think I'll go."

"Oh you have to go Gene, you'll enjoy it!"

"It's in Oxford!"

The smile had fallen from Alex's face, "How long will you be away?"

"Three days," he didn't know how she would take this but he feared that it wouldn't do much for her stress levels.

"WHAT!" she exploded,

"Calm down Bolls," he urged,

"CALM DOWN!" she shouted as loud as she dared, "I could give birth and you're pussy footing away up to bloody OXFORD!"

"In case you forgot, I just said I didn't think I would go!"

"Oh whatever Gene!" Alex stormed away from him,

"I'm going to bed, and don't you dare even think about coming up to bed tonight!" she said calmly before walking up the stairs, Gene shouting after her,

"Bolls…"

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

For the next few days Gene and Alex hardly spoke, only speaking to each other when they had to. Alex had calmed down and encouraged Gene to go to the conference, saying that it may further his career if he did go, to which Gene had agreed to go, secretly Alex was pleased that Gene had decided to go to the conference because it meant she would be getting a break from him fussing over her, and also Fiona would be staying to give her a hand around the house, and with the girls. They had an argument the previous day over something Gene had said or done, and he didn't want to leave that morning with the argument over his head.

"You're going to be late if you don't leave now," Alex whispered into his ear as they both stood on the driveway, embraced in a hug.

"You sure you want me to go?" Gene whispered bank, "I don't have to, you sure you'll be o.k.?"

"I'll be fine Gene, and any way Fiona's here to help out."

Fiona had taken the girls back inside after they had hugged and kissed their dad good-bye.

"You have the hotel number? Right?" Gene asked, "In case anything happens."

"I'll be FINE!" Alex whispered, "I promise!"

He placed a light but passionate kiss on her lips,

"Love you Gene,"

"I'll phone tonight," Gene whispered, before placing another kiss on her lips, this one was hungrier, "Love you!"

He got into his care, all the while aware that Alex was watching him.

They kept eye contact as he started the engine and the car roared to life. Alex stood at the end of the driveway and watched as the car disappeared at the end of the street.

It was then and only then Alex let the tears fall from her eyes and down her cheeks, until she could taste the saltiness of them at the corner of her mouth.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Gene kept to his word and phoned Alex from his hotel room that night.

"I bloody hate it here Bolls, they're all stuck up twats!"

"Think of your career Gene,"

"I don't bloody care about my career, I care bout you Alex, and our girls!"

"What about the other two?" Alex smiled down the receiver.

"You know I do Bolls,"

"I know," she replied.

There was along pause before either of them spoke again,

"Gene,"

"Alex," they said each others name at the same time,

"Love you," they had spoken at the same time again.

"I'll phone you again tomorrow night," Gene spoke quietly,

"You'd better," Alex replied,

"Night Alex,"

"Night Gene,"

Alex replaced the receiver down gently back on to its hooks.

"You o.k. Alex?" Fiona appeared at the door with a cup of tea for Alex.

"God I miss him," Alex mumbled,

"He'll be home the day after tomorrow," Fiona sat down on the couch next to Alex.

"I know he will, but it feels as though it'll be longer,"

"It'll fly in," Fiona replied.

"You know I think I'm going to have an early night," Alex said getting up from the couch, "There's a duvet in the cupboard Fiona, and again I'm sorry we don't have the spare room now, with the cots and all."

"The couch is fine!" Fiona smiled,

"You sure?" Alex asked,

"Yes!" Fiona smiled again.

Alex crawled into bed feeling rather unusual that Gene wouldn't be next to her, his scent however was still lingering on the sheets and pillows, which lulled Alex into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile Gene was lying in his hotel bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep as he; unlike Alex didn't have even the scent of his loving wife next to him to send him off to sleep.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"FIONA!" Alex yelled the next morning from the en-suite bathroom, "FIONA!"

"Mum are you o.k.?" Leah called through the door from the bedroom,

"Leah, go and get Fiona for me please sweetheart."

"Fiona!" Leah cried running down the stairs to get Fiona who was watching television after giving Leah and \Olivia their breakfast earlier, "Mum needs you!"

"What's wrong?" Fiona asked as she followed Leah back up the stairs,

"I don't know," Leah replied,

"Alex let me in," Fiona tapped the bathroom door, which Alex opened to let Fiona in.

"What's wrong?" Fiona asked her friend,

"My waters have broken!" Alex replied, "It's too early, I'm three weeks early and Gene's not here."

"You sure?" Fiona asked, not knowing what to say or do.

"Of course I'm BLOODY sure!" Alex cried, "I've done this twice before!"

"Right - O.K., I'll… I'll phone an ambulance," Fiona stuttered,

"Luigi!" Alex cried,

"What?" Fiona asked,

"The girls - Luigi!" Alex shrieked as a contraction tore through her.

O.k." Fiona said again, helping Alex to the bed,

"Leah, go and sort you and Olivia's coats, you're going to Luigi's."

"Why?" Leah asked, "Is mummy having the babies?"

"Yes!" Fiona replied as she hurried downstairs to phone Luigi and then an ambulance.

Alex sat on the edge of the bed; all she could think of was Gene.

"You need to phone Gene Fiona!" Alex yelled, "Please phone him!"

Alex lay back onto the bed and thought, 2He can't miss this…" as a powerful contraction tore through her, " Arrgghh!"

"He can't miss it!" she thought as the contraction eased, her eyes filled with tears, "Please get the message Gene!"

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

_**Ohh how nasty am I? Leaving it there?**_

_***Evil laugh***_

_**Will gene get the message? And most importantly will he make it on time? Ohm who knows? Ohhh I do! **_

_**The next chapters nearly finished so hopefully won't take me too long… **_

_**In the mean time I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter! Pretty please? **_

_**Thank you! **_

_**Lesa xx**_


	19. But But?

**Chapter 19 - "But?…But?…"**

"And so the feed back we will get…"

Gene was sitting in the conference, pretending he was listening when in fact all he could hear was, "Blah,Blah,Blah"

His eyes were fixed on the speaker, not that he was paying any attention to what was being said, all he could think of was phoning Alex later that day, having a few whiskeys and getting home to his family the next morning.

"Alex will be watching bloody day time television right now," he thought as he continued to stare at the speaker, "She better be relaxin' wi her feet up," he continued to think of Alex as he taped his fingers on his knees.

"Leah and Olivia better be behaving'" he thought of his girls, images of their smiles coming to his face, causing him to smile himself.

"And what's your opinion on that, DCI Hunt?" the speaker had stopped speaking and had now singled him out in a room of fifty or so others.

"Me?" Gene asked suddenly wishing he had been paying attention.

"Yes you DCI Hunt," the speaker said again, "And stand up so we can see you."

Gene slowly stood to his feet, all eyes were on him as he cleared his throat,

"Well I…" he stuttered.

"Speak up!"

"Well I… Well I…" Gene stuttered again, he could feel the heat rising from his neck to his cheeks with embarrassment. There was a moment of silence in the room, which to Gene felt like an eternity, before it was broken by a woman's voice from the back of the room,

"Excuse me," the voice called, "Is Gene Hunt here?"

"What is it?" the speaker spoke loudly, looking at Gene who was now turned to see the face of the voice.

"There's a message for him at reception," the woman called in to the room.

"Can't it wait?" the speaker sounded annoyed,

"The caller said it was urgent,"

Like a flash Gene was out of the room to face the woman,

"Who called? What's wrong?" Gene stammered,

"Erm…" the woman began, "A Fiona Chalmers called to inform you that you need to go home right away."

"Oh gad, what's happened? Is it my wife? My girls?" Gene shouted at the scared looking woman,

"She said that your wife has gone into labour Mr. Hunt."

"She can't have, it's too early!" Gene said in a shaky voice, his hands shaking, "It's too early,"

"The woman who called didn't say anything else,"

"I need to go…" Gene trailed, "Where's my bloody keys?" Gene was fumbling in his pockets for keys that clearly weren't there.

"In your room perhaps?" the woman suggested, but Gene was already half way up the stairs.

Five minutes later Gene had checked out of the hotel and was in his car, his hands still shaking as he turned the ignition.

"Bloody hell Genie boy, pull your self together," he told himself.

"I'll never forgive myself if I miss this" he thought as he pulled onto the motorway, "Alex will never forgive me!"

He turned the radio on to try and distract him from the fact he may miss the birth, driving at speeds he hadn't driven at for years now, when a song came on that reminded him of Alex, the song that they had their first ever dance to, ten years previously, the moment that he realised that she felt the same as him, that he loved her,

"_**So True, funny how it seems,**_

_**Always in time, but never in line for dreams,**_

_**Head over heels**_

_**When toe to toe**_

_**This is the sound of my soul**_

_**This is the sound of my soul,"**_

As Gene recalled the night in question, he glanced in his mirrors, only to notice blue flashing lights and then heard the siren of a traffic cop signalling for him to pull over.

Pulling on to the hard shoulder, he cursed himself,

"Bugger," he shouted, "BUGGER!"

He could see the traffic cop walking towards his car now, pulling on his hat as a sign of authority,

"How the hell am i gonna talk my self out of this one?"

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Arghh!" Alex screamed, panting through the contraction, "Where is he?"

"I left a message," Fiona was a t Alex's side, "He won't miss this, you know him,"

The contraction had ended and Alex lay her head on the pillow.

"What if he doesn't make it in time Fiona?" Alex asked, tears welling in her eyes, "he'll never forgive himself,"

"He'll be here," Fiona hushed.

"I was the one to convince him to go you know, he didn't want to go!" Alex wailed, "It's my fault he won't be here, oh god I've forced him into missing the birth, OH GOD!"

"Alex, you need to calm down," Fiona urged, "He'll be here,"

"He needs to be, i need him here Fiona!" Alex said tearfully, "Arghh!" Alex screamed again, as another contraction tore through her.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Meanwhile Gene was watching as this young obviously just graduated cop walking towards him.

"What?" Gene bellowed out of the window.

"Do you know how fast you were going back there sir?" the young copper asked,

"Oh I dunno, 60, 65," Gene replied,

"No sir, you were doing 89miles per hour."

"I used to drive faster than that!" Gene replied smugly, obviously forgetting why he had just been stopped.

"Care to step out of the car sir?" the young cop asked,

"No bloody way," Gene replied, "I need to get back to London."

"Not today you're not sir,"

"My missus is about to give birth!"

"Nice excuse," the young cop was having none of It, "Now step out of the car please,"

"Oh bloody hell, stop your cockiness son, I've had enough of this bull shit,"

"Sir if you don't step out of the car I'll have no excuse but to arrest you."

"Look sonny - I'm a copper as well," Gene remembering he had his warrant card In his pocket, flashed it at the young cop,

"Oh…Erm…" the young cop had suddenly lost his cockiness, "DCI Gene Hunt."

"Yeah son, that me in picture" Gene pointed to picture then himself, and then looked at his watch,

"Look son, I'm telling ye the truth, I really do need to get back to London, and I need to get to my missus!"

"Oh sorry Mr. Hunt, er DCI Hunt," the young copper stuttered,

"Can I go?" Gene asked again,

The young cop nodded, his voice still lost some where in his throat as he wastched Gene roar away into the distance whilst thinking to him self,

"That man's a legend!"

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Arghh!" Alex screamed through yet another powerful contraction, as it tore through her, she breathed through it until it began to subside.

"I'd say you're eight centimetres dilated," the mid-wife said as she took off her gloves.

"Where is he?" Alex wailed, "where is he? Oxfords only an hour away!"

"I don't know where he is," Fiona soothed, taking Alex's hand.

"It's two o'clock Fiona, why isn't he here?" the tears that were falling from her face were nothing to do with the pain she was in, and the pain was made worse as Alex had refused the epidural.

"Arghhhh!" Alex was fully aware that her contractions were becoming stronger and becoming closer together.

"He's going to miss it!" Alex cried, but Fiona never answered. She was too busy staring at the door. And at Gene.

"Bolls," Gene said breathlessly before kissing her forehead,

"Oh Gene," Alex cried, "I thought you weren't going to make it in time."

"No bloody chance, I would never miss this,"

"I'll leave you two alone," Fiona smiled,

"Thanks Fiona," Gene turned to her, "For ye know… being here when I wasn't,"

"No problem," Fiona smiled and left the room.

"I really thought you were going to mi- ARGHHH!" Another contraction tore through her.

"How far?" Gene asked, as he had been here twice before he knew about timing contractions, and also about dilation although thinking about the latter disgusted him.

"Your contractions are roughly 1-2minutes apart and your now nine centimetres dilated," the mid-wife replied,

"And everything is o.k.?" Gene asked looking at the monitors.

"Yes, Alex's blood pressure's fine and both babies heart beats are fine."

"You sure?" Gene asked,

"Gene let the woman do her - Argghh!" Alex tightened her grip on Gene's hand.

"Just let me check," the mid-wife checked Alex and smiled, "You're ten centimetres,"

"Really?" Alex panted,

"Yes, I'll just go get a doctor, and on the next contraction you can push,"

Minutes later the doctor was gowned up, ready to deliver the babies.

Alex tightened her grip further on Gene's hand as a contraction ripped through her,

"Arghhhhh! Alex screamed,

"You need to push Alex," the doctor instructed,

"I am!" Alex managed through gritted teeth.

"Contraction subsiding," the mid-wife said.

"O.k. stop pushing Alex," the doctor instructed.

"This is your bloody fault Gene!" Alex screamed as she fell back against the pillows,

"Me?" he asked bewildered, " what the hell have I done now?"

"This- arghhh!"

"Really big push Alex.

Alex let out another scream and pushed,

"One more push and your baby will be here,"

A few seconds later the room was filled with a high pitched scream as the baby took it's first breath.

"Where's…" Gene stuttered, "Where's his…you know his ding dong, his penis?"

"What?" Alex asked as tears fell from her eyes,

"Where's his man part?" Gene asked again,

"Well girls don't tend to have that Mr. Hunt," the mid-wife smiled

"But that scan thing said it was two boys," Gene stuttered,

"Those ultra sounds aren't 100% accurate Mr. Hunt," the doctor smiled,

"But…" Gene stuttered, "But…"

"Gene," Alex whispered, "There's someone who wants to meet her daddy,"

"Wh-what?" Gene turned in a daze to Alex,

"This little one wants to say hello to her daddy,"

The mid-wife gently placed the tiny baby into Gene's arms, and instantly, upon setting eyes on her, he was in love with her.

"Sh-she's perfect Bolls," he croaked as his tears choked him.

"What weight is she?" Alex asked,

"four pounds eight," the mid-wife replied, "that's a good weight for a twin, and also considering you were early."

"On down, one to go Bolls," Gene gently kissed her.

"You've went down to eight centimetres Alex," the doctor informed her,

"How's that?" Alex asked,

"That can happen between deliveries," the mid-wife smiled.

"I'll take this one to the nursery," the mid-wife smiled, "and I'll bring her back when number two is here."

"Arghhh!" Alex screamed five minutes or so later, 2Here we go again,"

"Here, I'm going to stand at the other side of ye this time Bolls, I can't feel my left hand!"

"Oh shut up!" Alex yelled, "Argh, Argh,"

"Hmm…" the doctor looked at the monitor,

"What?" Gene asked, "What's wrong?"

"The baby's heartbeat has dropped but we're o.k."

"What do you mean?" Gene demanded.

"The baby's heartbeat was 140 but it's dropped to 100."

"Arghh!" Alex tightened her grip on Gene's hand.

"O.k. Alex, time to push again," the doctor informed her.

"You do it Gene, I can't," Alex cried,

"You have to Bolls, and you can!" Gene encouraged.

Thirty seconds later there was another loud pitched scream, as twin number two took it's first breath.

"Four pounds six," the doctor smiled before wrapping the baby up and asking,

"Does dad want a hold?"

The doctor carefully passed the tiny baby to Gene,

"Bolls…" Gene again choked on his words as he looked down at the tiny baby he held in his arms who was wrapped in a baby blue towel.

"Bolls, it's…it's…" he cradled his son so delicately, scared that he would break him or hurt him.

"He's actually here…" Alex said breathlessly, her face still pink and sweaty.

Gene was so busy staring at his son he hadn't heard her.

"Gene - can I have a cuddle of our son please?" she asked with a smile.

"What - oh yeah course you can," he delicately placed their son into her arms,

"Hello you," Alex cooed over their son, "He's perfect," Alex whispered to Gene, who was now standing behind Alex, looking down onto their son,

"He is, but so are our three daughters," he replied, then suddenly relised, "Bloody 'ell fire I've got three daughters!"

The mid-wife returned the other twin to them a few minutes later.

"They need names Gene," Alex said as she cradled her new son, Gene cradling his new daughter,

"We only looked up boy's names though," he replied,

"I know, and we couldn't even decide on that," Alex replied with a smile,

"Well he's no Gene Junior, I know how much you hate that," Gene replied without looking up from his tiny baby girl.

"What about Matthew?" Alex asked staring at her tiny baby son,

"Matthew?" Gene asked, "I like it,"

"It means gift of god," she smiled, tears in her eyes,

"It's perfect Bolls," he replied, "What about this little one?"

"What names to you like Gene?"

"Abigail," he replied without taking his eyes of his girl,

"It means father's joy," Alex smiled,

"Really?" Gene asked looking at Alex,

"Yes it does, now take your son so I can have a hold of my new daughter."

"Matthew and Abigail," Gene smiled, "They're perfect.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

_**A few hours later…**_

It was visiting, and two excited little girls were about to go and meet their new brother and sister for the first time.

"Now you need to be quiet when I take you into the rrom," Gene explained to Leah and Olivia who were walking at either side of their father.

"In case the babies are sleeping?" Olivia asked,

"Exactly!" Gene had a huge smile on his face, passers by knew why and muttered, "He's got a daddy smile!"

Gene opened the maternity ward door and led Leah and Olivia to the room where their mum was, the babies were at one side of her bed, both sound asleep in clear Perspex cots.

"Aww," Leah and Olivia cooed,

"They're both so tiny," Leah cooed at her tiny brother.

"What's their names?" Leah turned to her mum,

"Well the girl baby is called Abigail," Alex smiled,

"Or Abby for short!" Gene added.

"What about the boy baby?" Olivia asked, "What's he called,"

"He's called Matthew," Gene smiled, picking up his son, who was now stirring.

"When can I play with them" Olivia asked, looking at her sister through the clear plastic.

"Oh not for a while yet," Alex smiled,

"Why?" Olivia asked, her eyes brimming with excitement.

"Because they're too little silly!" Leah told her sister.

"Oh right!" Olivia seemed happy with this.

"Mum, can I hold one of the babies?" Leah asked, "I'll be careful."

"Only if you sit on daddy's knee," Alex replied.

"Can I as well please?" Olivia asked, "I could sit on your knee mummy!"

"Oh I suppose so," Alex swung her legs out of the bed so that Gene could sit down, passing baby Matthew to her before Olivia sat on her mum's knee.

Gene picked up baby Abby and Leah sat on her father's knee, Leah gently caressed the top of her baby sisters head.

Olivia watching her sister do this proceeded to do the same with her baby brother's head.

Leah took baby Abby's tiny hand in hers, which opened and gripped Leahs thumb.

"Look dad, she likes me," Leah whispered,

"I know," Gene whispered back, glancing across at Olivia, who's thumb was also being gripped by baby Matthew.

Gene and Alex's eyes met over their two eldest daughters heads, Alex's eyes were brimming with tears, as too were Gene's, as they sat with their four perfect children, and for once these tears weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of happiness.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

_**I could never have made gene miss a thing like the birth of his kids! Could I?**_

_**And what about the twist? What did you think of that?**_

_**Yet another daughter for Gene and Alex, but they now have their long awaited son to carry on the Hunt name!**_

_**I could leave it here, with the perfect happy family… but… I'm not going to!**_

_**There's a few chapters left, possibly three or four, but it just depends on reviews… **_

_**In the mean time whilst I gather my thoughts for the last few chapters please review - as it makes my day knowing that others are enjoying this story!**_

_**Lesa Xx**_


	20. Double trouble? More like Quad trouble!

**Chapter 20 – Double trouble? More like quad trouble**

The twins were now six weeks old, Alex was loving having two vulnerable little lives to care for again, as did Gene, and Leah an Olivia were loving as they put it "little dolls" they could help their mum and dad with.

Alex had devised a routine, where she would settle baby Matthew first and then Abby, as it seemed to work as Abby was the quieter of the two.

Tonight Alex was leaving the twins for the first time, after Gene had convinced her to go out for dinner with Fiona.

Alex had initially refused point blank to leave her babies, but had been convinced when Leah and Olivia had been invited to a birthday party at Andrew's across the road from them, which meant that Gene would only have the twins to worry about.

"You sure you'll manage?" Alex fussed, it was 5pm, and Fiona was due any minute to pick Alex up.

"I'll be fine Bolls," Gene smiled at her; she was looking fabulous in his mind despite only having given birth 6 weeks ago.

"I've expressed plenty of milk, so you should be fine,"

"Bolls, how hard can it be to look after two babies?" He smiled again, "All they do is eat, sleep. Cry and shit!"

"The girls will be home in about an hour and I'll be home for about eight," Alex smiled, as the door bell rang.

"How do I look?" Alex did a pirouette for Gene,

"Amazing as always Bolls," Gene stood embracing her in his arms and placing a loving kiss on her lips, "Go and enjoy yourself."

"I won't be late," she kissed him back before making her exit to meet Fiona who was stood on the doorstep.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Half an hour later, the babies were still sleeping and Gene had just had something to eat and was now watching his tiny son as his chest rose and fell.

The door bell rang and Gene answered it,

"Hiya Daddy!" Olivia bolted into the house, followed closely by Leah.

"Thanks Diane," Gene said to Andrews mum,

"No problem," Diane replied, "How's the twins?"

"Hard work, but worth it," Gene replied with a sigh.

There was a high pitched scream from the living room as Leah ran back to the front door shouting,

"Matt's crying!"

"I'd better let you go then," Diane left as Gene closed the front door, returning to the living room where Olivia was knelt by her brother's side as he cried in his bouncy chair.

"I think he's got a pooy nappy!" Olivia made a face and held her nose.

Indeed baby Matthew did have a dirty nappy, Gene managed some how to change is son whilst saying, "Bloomin heck, what's yer mother been fedin ye?"

"Why's his pooey nappy so smelly daddy?" Olivia asked, but before he had a chance to answer, Abby had let out a scream.

"She's hungry!" Leah stated the obvious.

"You two stay here and I'll go heat up the bottles," Gene instructed his oldest daughters.

Gene had been out the living room a matter of minutes when Leah called,

"Oh dad, I think they're both hungry!"

Gene returned a few minutes later with the two warm bottles.

"What did you two have to eat at Andrew's party?" Gene asked picking up Matthew to feed him, whilst using a foot to gently bounce Abby in her baby chair.

"Well we had burgers and jelly and ice cream and crisps and chocolate and fizzy juice and more chocolate and smarties!" Leah said in one breath.

"I though so," Gene groaned,

"What did you think? Leah asked hoping from one foot to the other,

"Yeah daddy what did you think?" Olivia joined in, also hopping from one foot to the other.

"Nothing darling," Gene replied, "Just sit down and clam down," he said as Matthew finished his bottle with a slurp.

"Tag, your it," Leah tapped her sister and ran away, Olivia in hot pursuit, chasing her sister around the couch.

Gene now had Abby in his arms and was feeding her a bottle,

"Would you two CALM DOWN!" Gene ordered in his stern voice, which he didn't use very often, startling Abby who was now almost finished her bottle as well.

Leah and Olivia had got bored of chasing each other and had came to a stop right in front of Gene.

"Daddy," Olivia said in a shaky voice, "I don't feel well."

"Just sit down, you'll be fine," Gene replied placing Abby into her baby chair.

In the time it took Gene to strap Abby into her bouncy chair Olivia had been sick on the carpet and was now crying big tears and sobbing, "Sorry daddy,"

Gene had never had to deal with cleaning up sick before, Alex was the one who had dealt with things like this, but he couldn't stand the smell and knew he had to act fast.

"Right, upstairs both of you, Olivia wait in the bathroom and I'll be up in five minutes."

The girls did as they were told and Gene put the twins in their pram before getting a basin of hot soapy water from the kitchen.

Five minutes later Gene was tending to his unwell little girl when there was a cry from down stairs.

"Night dresses on, both of you," Gene instructed before returning down stairs to find baby Matthew crying.

"Sshh," Gene cradled his son, and sat on the couch, by now Gene's shirt was open half way as he thought, "How the hell does Alex do it?"

Leah and Olivia returned down stairs, each wearing their night dresses and housecoats.

"Think you two need to calm down," Gene smiled at his daughters,

"Can we watch Bambi?" Olivia asked,

"As long as it calms you down," Gene replied, returning a sleeping baby to the pram before putting Bambi into the video recorder.

Leah and Olivia were instantly drawn into the film as a silence fell over the room.

"Come and sit beside yer old dad," Gene smiled at his girls to come and sit beside him.

Leah and Olivia cuddled into their dad and became engrossed in the film, as did Gene, he was so engrossed that he hadn't noticed that his two little girls had fell asleep.

The film had finished before he noticed and was scared to move in case he woke his sleeping angels.

He himself was exhausted; he had more respect for Alex now, and made a promise to himself to do more for her, starting immediately.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Alex opened the front door to silence, which was exceedingly rare in the Hunt household.

She smiled as he entered the living room.

On the couch there sat Gene; sound asleep, Leah and Olivia cuddled into their father and the twins sound asleep in their pram.

£Gene," she whispered into his ear, "Gene,"

"Eeuugghh," he grumbled opening his eyes slowly to see Alex's eyes twinkling at him.

"Jesus Christ woman!" Gene jumped out of his skin,

"Looks like you managed then?" Alex smiled,

"What time is it?" Gene asked,

"Half eight," Alex smiled again, "Lets get these two up to bed, then I need to talk to you,"

Ten minutes later, Leah and Olivia were upstairs in their beds and Alex and Gene were now sitting on the couch,

"So you managed?" she asked him again,

"Managed?" he replied his eyes wide, "Eventually, they two (pointing to the ceiling) ain't NEVER having sugar again!"

"Why?" Alex replied, 2A little sugar won't harm them,"

"They ain't having it Bolls, they're mental on the stuff, the twins were crying and they were running in circles round me as I fed Matt and I tried to settle Abby at the same time!"

Alex let out a hysterical laugh, finding Gene's story highly entertaining.

"It ain't funny Bolls!"

"I can just picture that," Alex laughed, "Sorry,"

"And then Olivia was sick!"

"Oh is she o.k.?" the smile had fell from Alex's face,

"She's fine, just had too much to eat," Gene smiled, suddenly realising how he must have looked earlier, "How the hell do you do it?"

"I don't know," Alex smiled,

"What do you want to talk to me about? Gene asked.

"I want to come back to work two days a week," Alex sighed,

"What about the twins?" Gene asked pulling her into a cuddle.

"Ruth at the end of the streets a child minder,"

"You sure Alex?" Gene was concerned at her sudden interest in returning to work.

"Gene I've never been more sure of anything, except maybe when you proposed," she smiled thinking back to his simple but wonderful proposal.

"If you're sure Bolls, then I'll support your decision," he whispered in her ear.

"Thank-you," she whispered back before sitting up and straddling him, before passionately kissing him, her tongue exploring his mouth.

""You never fail to surprise me Bolls," he grunted,

"Well someone needs to keep the passion burning," she whispered,

"Believe me Bolls it ain't never going to go out!"

"It never will Guv!" she whispered in her sultry tone.

The word "Guv" still done it for him after all these years, but she wasn't going to let him have his way with her.

"Not tonight Gene," she groaned, "What I want you to do to me can't be done when the kids are in the house,"

"Bolls?" he questioned her motives,

"When the kids are away the grown ups can play," she whispered, before softly kissing him and removing her legs from either side of him.

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_**O.k. shorter chapter and im utter rubbish at writing humour but hey I've tried!**_

_**Hope you have enjoyed this chapter, and in true "Ashes" style, "It's the final countdown," now, two chapters left, the next of which is already finished, so hopefully I'll get it up by the weekend!**_

_**In the meantime please review! **_

_**Lesa xx**_


	21. A Sick Day

**Chapter 20 - A "Sick" Day**

_**This is a shorter chapter than I've written previously.**_

_**Well this chapter is definitely rated M, due to the content, some Galax fun!**_

_**Thanks for the reviews, and those of you who have stayed with this right from the start; it's appreciated more than you know!**_

"Jack," Gene croaked down the phone that Tuesday morning, "I can't come in today, Alex has been up all night and so has Olivia, think they've got the lurgy or something,"

"They all right Guv?" Jack replied,

"Alex just needs to sleep and I can't leave Olivia,"

"O.k. Guv," Jack replied, "I'll see you tomorrow,"

As soon as Gene hung the phone up Alex shouted,

"Right girls, jackets on for daddy, he's taking you to school today,"

"Are you taking the twins to Ruth's?" Gene asked before gently kissing Alex,

"Course I am," Alex smiled, "You'd better not be long,"

"Oh believe me Bolls, I won't be, you'd better be ready for some Gene Genie action when I get back," he replied before leaving the house with Leah and Olivia, Alex close behind with the twins for the short walk to the end of the street to Ruth's house.

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Half an hour later Alex was waiting on Gene to return, lying on their bed dressed in new lacy black underwear with black stockings and her beloved red heels.

She knew exactly what she wanted, she wanted Gene to take her like he used to before the accident, and even thinking about it caused an ache between her legs.

She heard the front door close and the clunk of his boots coming up the stairs, the clunk getting nearer with every second until she saw him standing in the door way, his eyes growing wider as he looked her up and down as she lay stretched out on the bed.

"Well Guv," she said getting to her feet and walking over to him until she was pressed against him, "I've been a bad girl, think I need one of those Gene Genie seeing to, like the old days," the last words were a mere whisper as her lips were millimetres away from his.

Gene ran his hand around her body and still couldn't believe how quickly Alex had got her figure back, looking into her eyes which were full of lustful love,

"Oh do you now," he whispered back,

"Yes Guv," she growled into his ear,

That was all Gene needed, his lips came crashing down on to hers, she allowed his tongue to enter her mouth, as he allowed her tongue to enter his mouth.

Gene pulled back from Alex, kissing and nibbling her neck, as she undone the buttons of his shirt before sliding the fabric over his broad shoulders before her hands moved to his hair as she ran her long thin fingers through his hair as she threw her head back against the nearest wall,

"I've been a naughty girl and need a telling off," she whispered into his left ear.

Gene felt a familiar ache in his trousers and slammed his lips down onto hers again before slipping one hand around her back to unclip her bra; Alex slid it down her arms letting it fall to the floor before kicking it away with her red heels.

Gene traced his hand back around her body before replacing his fingers with his tongue, swirling it around her breast.

"Mmm…" Alex moaned onto his lips whilst her hands slid across his chest and down to his trousers, where she slowly unzipped his trousers and placed her hands inside his boxers to feel his excitement around her hands.

"Mmmm…Bolls…" Gene grunted as Alex alternated between teasing the tip of his cock and massaging the sensitive spot just behind his balls.

"Oh no you don't," Gene pulled Alex's hand away from him and took one of Alex's already hard nipples in his mouth before tracing his tongue down her body stopping just at the elastic of Alex's knickers, gently moving her knees apart with his own knee, he then fell to his own knees and blew at her heat through the lace of her knickers, causing the throbbing between her legs to become more intense.

Gene then moved his head into he and ran his tongue over the fabric of her knickers causing Alex to squirm even more and let out a low rumbling groan.

"You like that…" Gene muttered into Alex's stomach, the only sound Alex could muster was, "Ahhhh…" which was more like a groan than an actual answer.

Gene removed himself from Alex to remove his trousers, much to Alex's disappointment, and he was removing them painfully slow for Alex's likes.

"Would you hurry up?" Alex moaned, giving him a look that said, "_I want you now_!"

"You know what I say Bolls, patience is a virtuous!"

"Well I ain't feeling very virtuous," Alex replied with a wanton tone before kneeling in front of him and she began to flick her tongue roughly over the tip of his hard cock.

Gene could feel his already hard cock becoming harder as Alex continued to flick her tongue, getting lighter with each flick.

"Oh Alex…." Gene moaned as she took him in her mouth, swirling her tongue around him.

She could feel him starting to pulse in her mouth, as he pulled her to her feet and slamming his lips down onto hers before he walked her backwards and pushed her down onto the bed.

He slowly removed one stocking then the other, removing her shoes at the same time, before tracing his tongue back up her leg until he reached her heat.

He slid his long fingers under the elastic of her knickers and pulled them down her long legs before discarding them at the end of the bed.

Alex watched as he plunged one, then two fingers into her core, almost causing her to come right there and then, causing her to scream out,

"Oh god, Gene, want mmoorrreee!"

"How's this?" Gene muttered before removing his fingers and immediately replacing them with his tongue, flicking her clit lightly, and roughly, alternating to keep Alex guessing.

"Oh, OH GOD! Alex screamed, "GENE!" she could feel the first waves of orgasm building,

"Not yet!" Gene groaned, locking lips with her, she could taste her own arousal on his lips, which only turned her on even more as Gene returned to nibbling and sucking on her neck, whilst teasing her clit with the tip of his hard cock.

The next thing Alex felt was Gene pushing into her, Alex wrapping her legs round his to pull him in deeper.

Gene started off at a slow pace, until he got his rhythm, then he began thrusting into her harder, Alex bucking her hips in time with his thrusts.

Their thrusts became frenzied as they thrust in time with each other, Gene knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer, and began thrusting deeper and harder than before.

Alex dug her nails into Gene's shoulders keeping eye contact, as she screamed out his name as her walls clamed down onto him as he thrust once more into her before he spilled into her.

They held each other tightly as they both returned their breathing to normal, holding each other in a post colitis embrace, keeping eye contact the entire time, blue meeting hazel.

"Give me ten minutes and we'll have round two," Gene winked, "We'll take this downstairs,"

"You never fail to impress Gene," Alex whispered as she laid her head on Gene's shoulder as he held her close.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: **

Later that afternoon, an exhausted Gene and Alex decided that they had better shower and dress, and before they knew it, it was quarter to three and Gene had to go and collect the girls from school and nursery, and Alex had to go and collect the twins.

"Gene," Alex smiled, "Today was amazing!"

"I should bloody hope so!" he smiled, "but I don't think I'll be able to look at the kitchen table in the same way again!"

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An hour later Leah was sat at the dining table doing her homework, whilst Olivia was sat in front of the television watching cartoons, Alex was preparing dinner in the kitchen, when the front doorbell rang.

Gene answered it to find Jack and Fiona on the doorstep.

"Guv?" Jack asked, "Can we come in?"

"Course," Gene replied, "What's happened?"

"Erm…" Fiona stuttered, "You both need to hear this."

Alex had now entered the living room and upon seeing the look on Fiona's face knew something had happened.

"Leah, Olivia go upstairs please," the two little girls obeyed their mother and scurried upstairs,

"I thought Olivia was ill?" Fiona asked,

"Erm…" Alex stuttered, her face bright red, "She's fine now,"

"What's happened Jack?" Gene spat, "Something must have to make you two come here at this time!"

"Well Guv…" Jack stammered,

"Well spit it out!" Gene was fast becoming annoyed.

"Jack," Alex encouraged, "Just tell us!"

"Ahem…" Jack cleared his throat, "Simon Neary was released from prison yesterday."

"What the poof?" Gene asked,

"Thought he got life for murder," Alex mused "For that guy that had your suit?" Alex remembered the man in question but couldn't quite place his name.

"He got released for good behaviour ma'am," Fiona replied, "And he's already disappeared,"

"WHAT?" Gene exploded, his blood boiling,

"We need to find him before more lives are lost, he's one dangerous man. We need to find Simon Neary!"

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Well there's one (Possibly two depending on reviews) left, the next chapter is finished, and I'm hoping to get it uploaded before Thursday because I go away for a few days this weekend and would like to get this finished before then.

So please review and let me know what you think!


	22. I Promise

**Chapter 22 - I Promise**

_**Well this is the last chapter, I have enjoyed this story so much and I hope you as the reader have enjoyed it as well; there has so many ups and downs for Gene and Alex in this story. I'm unsure about when police stopped carrying guns as law so that is why I've not mentioned Gene "Shooting bastards" in this story much.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who has read this story from the start, and special thanks to those of you who have reviewed it or let me know what you think on Facebook! **_

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The next morning Gene and Alex were in C.I.D for half eight, the earliest they had been for years, to find a buzz of work going on.

"Right Simon Neary was released on Bail two days ago and he fails to show up to sign in yesterday, so where the bloody hell is he?" Gene asked his team.

"What's the deal with him any way?" Fiona asked from her desk.

"Twelve years ago me and Alex put him away, he's a poof, and he was shipping drugs and guns into my city. He murdered a man for talking to us, or as he branded on the man's head, a grass, he'll kill any one that gets on the wrong side of him, that's how dangerous he is," Gene explained,

"We convinced his then, young boyfriend to get a confession from him, Neary found the wire on the young boyfriend, so pulled a gun on him, luckily the young boyfriend got there first and shot Neary in self defence, Neary survived and was sent down for the murder he confessed to." Alex finished for Gene, remembering the case well.

"So do you think Neary got back in touch with his old contacts when he was released?" Fiona asked,

"I bloody hope not or else we're going to have a shipment of guns coming into the city again," Gene replied,

"But it's more than likely that he has got in contact with his old contacts Gene," Alex replied, "I hope I'm wrong but it's unlikely, but it's a good place to start our investigation,"

"What you lot waiting on?" Gene looked at his team who were all staring at him, "Moosh!"

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Over the next few hours, the team in C.I.D were busy finding information on Simon Neary's old contacts from past paperwork.

"Guv?" Fiona asked appearing at Gene's office door, clutching a fill about 5cm thick,

"You'll never guess who Neary had contacts with to do with his Heroin?"

"Who?" Gene asked from his desk where the desk was hidden with paperwork,

"Jonathan Clyde," Fiona replied,

"What?" Gene asked, "Let me see," Gene took the file from Fiona's hands,

"Bloody 'ell!"

Alex appeared at Gene's office seconds later,

"Bolls we need to get down the prison and interview that bastard Clyde!"

"Who?" Alex asked, "Oh Gene, no not him that…Take Jack please I don't want to have to face him, please," She pleaded,

"What's the matter Alex, you o.k.?" Gene asked pulling her into a tight hug,

"I think I've came back to work too early Gene, all I want to do is go home and cuddle our babies," She sighed,

"Go home to them then," Gene soothed, gently stroking her soft cheek.

"No I'll stay here today, give you a hand with some Psychological profiling,"

"As long as you're sure," he replied,

"I'm fine," she smiled, "Now go and interview Clyde, see if he knows what Neary's up to,"

Gene and Alex left his office to address the team,

"Right Jack, you're with me, Alex will stay here to do some more paper work,"

"Where are we going Guv?" Jack asked getting up from hi desk,

"To interview Jonathan Clyde!"

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Half an hour later Gene and Jack were waiting in an interview room in the prison to interview Jonathan Clyde.

"How's Alex doing?" Jack asked, "I'm surprised she's back as early,"

"She's fine Jack, she's going to have some more time off, she said it herself in the office earlier, thinks she's came back to early,"

"As long as she's alright, that's the main thing," Jack replied.

Clyde was lead into the interview room a few minutes later.

"Oh Hunt!" Clyde sneered, "Wondered when I'd see you again!"

"How long have you been pedalling drugs for Simon Neary?" Gene asked,

"Never heard of him," Clyde sneered sitting back into his chair.

"Don't lie to me Clyde, I Know you were involved with him twelve years ago!"

"Before you sent 'im down?" Clyde sneered,

"So you do know him then?" Jack asked,

"What's he up to?" Gene shouted, "We know from prison correspondents that you wrote to him before you were sent down for drug dealing!"

"The last letter I got from him he said that the one's who sent him down will pay," Clyde sneered, "Guess that means you Hunt, and yer missus!"

"SHIT!" Gene shouted, "We need to find him TODAY!"

"Hahaha!" Clyde was laughing at Gene now, taunting him.

"Where the hell is he Clyde?" Gene was fast loosing his temper, "Surly you know?"

"Dunno!" Clyde smirked,

"TELL ME!" Gene bellowed, "Where the bloody hell is he? What's he planning?"

"Think it's time for me to go back to my cell," Clyde sneered, "See you around HUNT, maybe!"

"SHIT!" Gene said again, "We need to find him Jack, before he does something."

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Gene and Jack entered C.I.D to find the white board up, Alex poised beside it with the marker in her hand, a profile of both Neary and Clyde on the board,

"Right Gene," Alex smiled at her husband, "We've outlined Neary's past and possible actions at this moment."

"Bolls, I need a word," he pointed to his office, into which she entered,

"What did Clyde say?" she asked sitting on the edge of his desk.

"He knows Neary," he replied, "Has done for years, but he said something about Neary, that for us could be something or nothing,"

"What?" Alex asked, tones of concern entering her voice,

"He said that Neary was out for revenge on the ones that sent him down."

"But- that's us Gene," Alex exclaimed, "Oh GOD the kids!" she was becoming hysterical,

"He doesn't know we've got kids!" Gene grabbed her waist and held her tightly, he could feel her entire body shaking with fear,

"Please…" Alex sobbed, "Please…"

"He won't harm them if he knows what's good for him Alex; I'll kill him if he lays one finger on them!" Gene soothed, "I promise ye!"

"I can't take this any more Gene," she sobbed, "No more, I can't do this any longer, I can't work full time AND be a proper mum to four children, I just can't!"

"What ye talking about Bolls?" he gently wiped the tears away from her face,

"I'm quitting Gene, I'm quitting!"

"You sure?" he soothed,

"Yes, I just can't face working full time and then never seeing the kids," she sobbed.

"I won't stop ye Bolls, if that's what ye want then I'll not stand in yer way, and I accept it."

"Thank you," Alex whispered placing a feather light kiss on his lips, "Now lets get Neary!"

There was a knock at the door and Jack entered.

"He's at that warehouse Guv, we've had a sighting of him!" Jack informed them, and seeing Alex's tear-stained face asked, "Everything o.k.?"

Making their way out to the main C.I.D hand in hand, Alex cleared her throat,

"I have made a decision about my future in C.I.D, I am resigning my post with the metropolitan police to spend more time with our family, I will as of tomorrow no longer be your D.I, I hope that no one tries to make me change my mind because Gene has accepted it, and I hope that you all do too."

"You hear her, no one is to try and make her change her mind," Gene announced to the room, "Now as your last authority as a D.I you will help us arrest Neary and send him down once and for all"

"Well let's get Neary! Alex smiled.

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Twenty minutes later, Gene, Alex, Jack and Fiona entered the same warehouse where Gene had arrested Clyde months ago, and found Simon Neary waiting on them in the room where Clyde had been arrested,

"Hello again sweetheart," Neary sneered at Alex, "Hope you're not expecting champagne this time, I don't feel much like celebrating,"

Neary pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and smiled.

"Simon, lower the gun and tell us why you're doing this when you're only out of prison two days," Alex negotiated,

"Because I don't feel like it!" Neary glared at Alex, "It's thanks to you I ended up in prison in the first place!"

"Lower the gun Neary," Gene warned.

"Gene," Alex turned to Gene, "Let me!"

"Got yer missus doing your dirty work now Hunt?" Neary snarled, aiming the barrel of the gun at Gene who had now took a step in front of Alex.

"Why did you have to get into his head Alex?" Neary glared at her, "I honestly did really care for him, I loved him, I wouldn't have hurt him, and he loved me!"

"I understand you loved him Simon," Alex said sympathetically, "But if you really did love him you wouldn't have asked him to get involved in crime, that's not love Simon!"

"Listen to the woman Neary," Gene said, "That wasn't love, you'll never understand what true love is Neary!"

What happened next was in slow motion for Alex.

Alex heard the blast of the gun and instinctively pushed Gene out of the way, watching as his body hit the hard concrete floor with a low thud, his body twisted in a heap.

Jack and Fiona snatched the gun from Neary in his moment of weakness.

The next thing Alex felt was her body hit the hard concrete floor, she was looking at the ceiling when Gene's face came into view, his blue eyes looking down on to her, filled with fear. She could feel his strong arms around her shoulders, but they were shaking.

"Alex…" his voice catching in his throat.

"Gene…" She felt where his left hand was on her stomach, but there was a warm ooze seeping through her blouse.

Gene had now removed his jacket and was desperately pressing down on her wounded stomach, trying his hardest to stop the bleeding.

"Don't…Alex…" his voice was barley a croak as his hands continued to shake uncontrollably.

"Come on Alex don't close yer eyes! LOOK AT ME!" Gene instructed.

Alex's breathing was beginning to become shallow, and Alex herself was becoming increasingly terrified by Gene's shaking and the look in his eyes.

Gene himself knew that if the paramedics weren't here soon that she wouldn't stand a chance.

"Alex, please stay with me," he begged as her eyes glistened with tears, that matched his eyes which were also glistening over.

Alex took a deep breath in, Gene listened as he had been doing for it to be let out again, but it wasn't released, nor did her chest rise again.

Gene was silent, as he held Alex's limp body tightly, rocking her back and forth. He couldn't bear to see her eyes staring back at him when they didn't sparkle, so he closed her eyelids for the final time, hiding her deep brown eyes behind her still eyelids.

He continued to rock her as silent tears fell from his face.

"Guv the ambulance is - " Fiona fell silent upon setting eyes on Gene.

"Sshh…" Gene hadn't heard Fiona, he continued to gently rock Alex's lifeless body,

"Sshh… it'll be alright," he whispered into her hair.

"Sir can you let us - "

"Bugger off!" Gene shouted, "SHE'S FINE!"

Fiona knelt at Gene's side and gently eased his grip on Alex

"Gene, let the paramedics see her," Fiona whispered,

Gene shook his head, tears streaming down his face as he stared at Alex's lifeless body, her face was white, her eyes closed, Gene's jacket still lay across her stomach where he had tried desperately to save her.

"She's gone," he croaked, already accepting the inevitable before it had been confirmed.

The female paramedic simply looked at him and shook her head, "I'm sorry Mr. Hunt,"

Gene crumpled at Alex's side, gently caressing her soft cheek, it was cool and dry to the touch, before he leaned over her placing a light kiss on her soft lips,

"NO, you have to at least try!" he shouted, "PLEASE!" he shouted at the paramedics, "She's a mother, she only gave birth seven weeks ago, please help her," he held her tightly again, her body was limp in his arms, he looked down at her and pleaded again, "Please…"

"I'm sorry…" the female paramedic whispered.

Gene knew at that second that he would never again see her sparkling brown eyes, feel the touch of her soft skin against his, nor would he feel the touch of her lips on his again, and never again would he feel the sparks of electricity jump between them, the flame of passion that had been ignited twelve years ago in the lost property room, the feeling that he felt when she looked at him, the doorway to the true Gene Hunt which she had gotten through the first time they had kissed, he had watched as her soul had died, and he closed that doorway for the last time, as no one else would ever come close to reaching him again.

Gene knew now that he had a mission to complete, it was to do Alex proud and raise there four perfect children in a was she would be proud of, he was still sat on the hard concrete floor as he lent into her and whispered,

"I won't let you down, I've loved you from the second we met, and forever will, I'll do you proud, I'll never let the kids forget you, they'll be proud of you, I'll make sure of that, and you'll be proud of them," His voice was shaking as the tears ran down his face, "I promise!"

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_**Well… I'm in floods of tears writing this… this was always what was going to happen with this story… Hope you have all enjoyed it… Please let me know what you think…**_

_**Lesa xxxx**_


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